The Taste of Snow
by wildcat7898
Summary: Uhura and McCoy make a hurried trip to Dantria after Uhura receives a message from Spock. This story takes place after "A Woman's Touch."
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Taste of Snow

Author: Wildcat

Series: TOS

Part: 1/8

Rating: M

Codes: S/U, Saavik

Summary: Uhura and McCoy make a hurried trip to Dantria after Uhura receives a message from Spock.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Uhura, and company. I have just borrowed them for a while, and I will not profit from any of this.

This is the sequel to A Woman's Touch, and it relies heavily on events from that story. The next story in the series is Almost a Kiss.

As with A Woman's Touch, many thanks to Carolyn Clowes for my very favorite ST novel The Pandora Principle. Even though I used that novel as a basis for this, however, note that I ignored the idea that Spock's friends did not know Saavik prior to her visit to the Enterprise as a cadet.

Also, thanks to Jungle Kitty for help with the timeline and for beta reading, and to Olivia for the use of one of her 'Taylor moments.'

This story won 2nd place for "Best S/U Story" in the 1998 Golden O Awards.

Feedback is desired.

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 1

A bounce in her step, Uhura strode through the corridors on the way to her quarters, moving as quickly as she could without compromising her dignity. She smiled pleasantly and nodded to a pair of crewmembers as they passed in the opposite direction. Waiting until they were well behind her, she decided to quicken her pace. Dignity be damned! She couldn't wait to get to her quarters to hear her messages.

The Enterprise had been incommunicado for the last five days, and they had been inundated with personal messages for various members of the crew once she had reopened communications. As the messages had come across her board today, she had noticed that three of them were directed to her and that they had come from Dantria IV. She'd been too busy to find out exactly who sent them, but she really didn't need to look it up to know. Saavik, true to her promise, had recorded a message almost every single day since Uhura had said goodbye to Spock and his little ward at the Dantrian spaceport.

She felt the heat rise to her face at the memory of that unbelievable goodbye. Still incredulous at her own brazen behavior, she recalled the heat of Spock's lips against her own when she had impulsively kissed him only moments before rushing off to board her shuttle. Boy, she'd been brave! Hopefully she hadn't pushed him too hard. She would hate to think that she'd damaged their friendship in any way.

Maybe it was a good sign that he always participated in some manner in Saavik's communications. Even though he hadn't personally sent her a message in the three months since she left, he was always in the background of the little girl's messages, chiming in with a correction here or a supplemental comment there. He was more apt than anyone she knew to close himself off when confronted by an assault on his personal defenses, so she figured that his continued presence in those messages meant he wasn't avoiding her.

Finally, she swept through the door to her quarters. Pausing only long enough to throw her jacket over the back of a chair, she sat at her desk and faced the computer.

"Computer, play first message for Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura."

"Working. Transmission is from Saavik on Dantria IV, stardate 3871.7."

Saavik's serious little face appeared on the screen. "Hello, Nyota. I know that you will not get this for, uh, six days."

Uhura heard Spock's voice from a slight distance. "Five, Saavikam." It was accompanied by the sound of running water, and she glanced at the chronometer display in the corner of the recording: 2110 hours. Time for his nightly cup of tea. She smiled, picturing Spock moving serenely and efficiently around the small kitchen while he listened to Saavik record her message.

"Five days. But I decided to send it anyway. I have much to tell you! It was cold again last night, and the leaves on the trees are not green anymore. They are red and yellow and orange. I wish that you could see them! Some of the leaves are falling on the ground. Spock said that the trees will lose their leaves soon, and that it reminds him of the fall season on Earth.

"The stupid boys who live on the other side of the woods came by today, and we worked hard to put all the leaves in a big pile, but when we were done you will not believe what they did. They jumped on them and scattered them back out! It was most illogical. I told them if they want to do raking again I will not help them."

As Saavik spoke, Uhura was very aware of Spock's movements in the background. She could hear his quiet tread as he padded about the kitchen, and her heart beat a little faster when she understood that he had evidently finished preparing his tea and was coming to sit next to Saavik. Grinning at her own foolishness, she realized that she was actually holding her breath in anticipation of catching a glimpse of his face.

_Really, Nyota! A person would think that you're a silly schoolgirl mooning over a mysterious stranger, rather than a mature woman thinking of a fellow officer. A fellow officer, by the way, who has been one of your closest friends for nearly ten years!_

She brought her attention back to Saavik's words.

"After the stupid boys left, Spock and I picked the last of the tomatoes in the garden. Some of them were still green! He said that he wished that you were here so you could fix us some green tomatoes."

Saavik glanced in his direction, evidently spotting some sort of disapproval at her statement. "Well, you did!"

Uhura heard Spock's resonant voice. "Those were not my exact words, Saavikam."

"But that's what you meant!"

Saavik turned her attention back to the screen. "Anyway, I wish that you were here, Nyota." Speaking quickly so that Spock would not have an opportunity to object, she added, "And Spock does too. But if you will tell me how to cook the tomatoes, I will do it myself!"

She looked back at Spock again. "It is time for me to go to bed. I will send you a message tomorrow! Saavik out."

The screen went blank. Uhura smiled fondly, shook her head, and asked for the next message.

"Transmission is from Saavik on Dantria IV, stardate 3872.7"

Saavik appeared on her screen again.

"Hello, Nyota. Today we walked in the woods and watched the little animals. They were all very busy. Spock says that they are getting ready for the cold season. When I asked him what the cold season will be like, he said that it will be windy and rainy and might even snow! I hope that it does. He said that you do not have snow where you grew up. Have you ever seen snow? Did you taste it? I asked Spock what snow tastes like and he pretended that he knew, but he does not."

"Saavikam, snow is merely a form of ice. It has no true flavor."

"But you have never tasted it! Anyway, when snow happens here I will taste it and find out." She paused before launching into her next topic. "One of the little animals got into our garden and ate the last of the beans. I do not mind because I do not like beans. I am glad that it did not eat my big squash! Spock wanted to pick it a long time ago, but I want to see how big it will grow." Saavik held up her hands. "It is this big! I will show it to you when we pick it."

She reached offscreen for a moment, and then held her hands up again. Uhura looked closely and smiled when she recognized the shiny black eyes of Saavik's pet lizard.

"Look, Nyota, my lizard has two red stripes down his back. Spock said that he is trying to look attractive for the female lizards. He has been gone a lot recently, and I think that he is looking for a female lizard. Maybe he will find a mate and they will make baby lizards."

The lizard slipped out of her hands and darted away. Her attention already on recapturing her pet, she said quickly, "I must go now. Goodbye!"

Uhura debated going ahead and recording a reply so that she could answer Saavik's questions about snow, but she decided to listen to the final message first.

"Computer, play next message for Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura."

"Transmission is from Commander Spock on Dantria IV, stardate 3874.1"

She sat up a little straighter. A message for her? From Spock? She had received a hundred messages from him in the past, but things had changed between them and this was different. He had sent her a message! Realizing that she was clutching the armrests of her chair, she forced herself to relax, but she couldn't suppress her huge smile. A message from Spock!

The instant his face appeared on the screen, though, her excitement was replaced by a heavy feeling of dread. She knew immediately that something was wrong. Strain was obvious on his features, and behind him were the sterile white walls of an institution of some sort.

"Commander Uhura. I am at the Dantrian Main Medical Complex. It is with great difficulty that I must inform you that Saavik has fallen ill. Yesterday afternoon she complained of aching muscles and fatigue, but I assumed that she had merely caught another virus. When I checked her late last night, however, I noticed that she had developed a rash on the inside of her elbows and the back of her knees, and when I tried to wake her she was unresponsive. I became alarmed and took her to the local medical facility."

As Uhura listened to Spock's message, she became aware of a rushing noise in her ears. She forced herself to take a deep, shaky breath. Oh Lord, what was Spock going to tell her?

"The doctors there diagnosed..." Spock's rigid composure broke for an instant, and he blinked and lowered his eyes. When he looked back up, his face was so calm that she thought she must have imagined the break in his control, until she saw him swallow and draw his eyebrows together slightly.

He continued. "The doctors there diagnosed Rigellian Fever and transported her immediately to this medical complex. Nyota, her condition is critical. She is so very young, and even though she has been in good health recently, she suffered from malnutrition for many years and her body does not have the reserves needed to fight this."

Surely she had misunderstood. Rigellian Fever? Almost unheard of in this day and age. How could it be? He must be mistaken, her ears must be deceiving her...

The crease between his brows became more pronounced, and his voice lowered to barely more than a whisper. "Your friendship has meant much to Saavik, and I know that she has become important to you. I thought that you should know of this. I will make every effort to keep you informed. Spock out."

The screen became dark. She stared at it blindly for several moments before leaning forward on her elbows and covering her face with her hands. She sat like that, frozen and unaware of anything but the terrible, black fright that gripped her, for what seemed like forever.

Finally, she lowered her hands and realized that she could not sit idly by when there was a possibility that she might lose Saavik. Plus, she could not let Spock face this alone. They needed her. First she would talk to Dr. McCoy, and then she would decide what to do next.

She rose and left her quarters.

...

"Commander Spock, you have a call." The attendant stood patiently in the doorway. "Commander Spock."

Spock did not immediately look away from the tiny, still figure on the large hospital bed. The diagnostic display over her head had not changed since he brought her here two days ago, and he did not expect to see anything different now. Nevertheless, he allowed his eyes to flick across its panels before finally turning toward the source of the interruption.

"Commander Spock, you have a call. You may take it at the comm station down the hall. I will stay with the child."

He stood. "Very well. I shall return shortly." He did not know for whose benefit he had said those words. The attendant would wait as long as needed and Saavik... Saavik could not hear him. Illogical.

He glanced briefly at her pale features once more and left the room. The image of her face stayed before his eyes as he walked down the long, empty hallway. She looked so peaceful that he could almost believe she was merely asleep, if it were not for the ugly green rash that spread from her neck to her jaw. Seating himself at the comm terminal, he realized that it had not even occurred to him to wonder who might be contacting him.

"Computer, relay communication for Commander Spock."

The screen brightened, and he was surprised to see Uhura.

"Spock! Oh, I'm so glad that I was able to reach you! How is Saavik?"

"Her condition remains unchanged." His voice sounded flat, even to his own ears.

Disappointment flashed across her face. Before she could respond, a familiar, gruff voice interjected.

"Spock? Are the doctors sure that it's Rigellian Fever? They probably haven't ever seen a case of it."

Uhura moved to the side and allowed McCoy to lean over her shoulder.

"Yes, Doctor, they are certain," replied Spock. "It would appear that the virus has remained dormant in her bloodstream for quite some time. She must have been exposed before I met her. No one knows what caused it to become active, but there is no mistake. It is definitely Rigellian Fever."

"Well, then, you were exposed, too. Have they treated you just in case?"

"Yes. They administered the preventative series to me yesterday. I asked them if others were also at risk, but they replied that the virus will not spread if it is not active. Can you confirm this for me, Doctor?"

"Yes, that's true. What about the medical facilities? Sometimes the Dantrians can be kinda backward."

"The medical care is excellent."

"Okay. They're known for their top notch medical care, but I was just checking."

"Spock," Uhura said, "I'm on my way, and Dr. McCoy is coming with me. The Enterprise is going to rendezvous in six hours with the Yankee Clipper, which can get us there in another fifteen hours."

"Please do not trouble yourselves."

"Spock, dammit, Uhura is beside herself with worry, and you need a doctor you can trust. We're coming and that's that!"

For the first time in two days, Spock allowed the corner of his mouth to turn up. "I see. Obviously it is futile for me to argue."

"Damn straight!"

"Very well. I am most appreciative."

Uhura smiled, a small, gentle smile, and looked straight into his eyes as if no one else was there. "We'll be with you soon. Uhura out."

As Spock returned to the room, he wondered how it could be that his burden of concern for Saavik suddenly seemed a small bit lighter. Most illogical.

But true.

End chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 2

Their journey seemed as if it had taken a lifetime, but finally they had reached Dantria IV and caught a ground shuttle to the medical complex. They were tired, grubby, and hungry, but Uhura didn't care. She just wanted to get to Saavik as soon as possible. She'd had no contact with Spock since she and McCoy had boarded the Yankee Clipper, and she firmly squelched the traitorous voice in the back of her head that kept reminding her they might be too late.

The shuttle was slowing. This must be the hospital. "Dr. McCoy, wake up. We're there."

"Huh? Sorry, must have dozed off for a few moments. Are we there?"

She was slightly irritated at him for sleeping at a time like this, but of course he had spent nearly a lifetime dealing with one crisis after another and had learned to catch his sleep when and where he could. Besides, she knew very well that her nerves were on edge and most anything at this point was likely to upset her. She took a calming breath before she answered him.

"Yes, Doctor, we're there."

"Good. Could you hand me my bag? Thanks."

After waiting for their turn to disembark from the shuttle, they walked briskly across the plaza in front of the hospital. The weather was damp and overcast, and Uhura couldn't help but shiver. A few late-blooming flowers tried their best to brighten the area, but the effort was lost in the overwhelming grayness.

When they reached the entrance, she stepped back and let McCoy take charge. She'd arranged their transport and dealt with the myriad little details of the trip, but McCoy was in his element now. She listened tensely as he asked the receptionist to access the latest report on Saavik's condition. No change. Closing her eyes in limp relief, she realized a moment later that she had missed the receptionist's instructions about how to locate the infectious diseases unit. Fortunately, McCoy seemed to know exactly where to go.

Without saying a word, he turned and headed for the lift in the center of the lobby, and she tagged along helplessly behind him. When they entered the lift and faced one another, the fear surged back into her aching muscles at the expression on his face. His jaw was set as he met her eyes and shook his head.

"She should have responded by now to the treatment," he said. "I'm afraid that it's not good."

All she could do was nod. Her chest was so tight that she couldn't have talked even if she knew what to say.

Soon they were out of the lift and heading down the long, stark hallway. The echoing of their footsteps seemed to jar the unhealthy stillness of their surroundings. As they walked, she read each sign that they passed: Cardiac Care, Genetics Lab, Long-Term Intensive Care... Infectious Diseases Ward. She took a deep breath, met McCoy's eyes again, and they stepped through the door.

They were faced with another hallway, but Uhura knew immediately which room Saavik was in. There, at the very end of the hall, she glimpsed an open doorway, and beyond that a familiar figure sitting quietly by a bed. She couldn't see who was in the bed, and actually couldn't see more than a portion of the seated person's back and right side, but there was no mistaking the slender hand that rested on the arm of the chair.

Somehow, Spock detected that they were there, and he glanced over his shoulder, rose, and met them in the hallway. No one said anything at first. Searching his face, she saw that it was creased with fatigue and worry, and she was struck with the sudden urge to smooth those lines away. When he met her gaze, though, she saw that just their presence had brought some relief to him, and she had to blink away stinging tears at the gratitude in his eyes.

He finally broke the silence. "Doctor, Commander. Thank you for coming."

"Well, Spock, we were glad to do it," McCoy replied. "I only hope that I can help her."

"That is my hope as well."

"I asked at the front desk and found out that her condition is still critical."

"Affirmative. The treatments have been ineffective. I believe that she is losing ground."

Uhura swallowed. "Can we see her now?"

"Yes, of course. Forgive me."

Spock stepped back and allowed them to precede him into the room.

McCoy went straight to Saavik's bedside while he reached into his medikit for a scanner. Uhura, though, took one step into the room and felt as if her feet were rooted to the floor. There, lost in the big bed, was a wraith, not the wild, energetic, enthusiastic little girl she had come to love. Her small face was pale and waxy, and her chest moved just barely enough to lift the covers that were draped across her body.

Suddenly overwhelmed by the need to touch her, to reassure herself that the small body on the bed was still warm and alive, Uhura moved quickly to brush her fingers against the slack little face on the pillow. She was unable to complete the motion, though, because Spock grasped her hand and stopped her. She looked up at his face in surprise.

"She is in an isolation field. You cannot touch her."

He held her hand until she nodded, and then he released it.

She carefully seated herself in Spock's chair. "Saavik, it's Nyota. I'm here, honey. Dr. McCoy is here, too. We want you to get better."

She watched for any sign of recognition, but of course she didn't receive one. She heard the scrape of a second chair as Spock seated himself next to her, and she met his eyes again before turning back to Saavik. McCoy's scanner whirred in the background while he muttered to himself and studied the readings at the head of the bed.

"I want to tell you about the very first time I played in the snow. I was only four years old, but I remember it clearly. My mother and father bundled me up in so many garments that I could barely move, and I took one step outside and fell flat on my face." Uhura tried to smile. "It scared me! I remember crying and begging my parents to take me back inside. But my sister said that I was a baby, so I stood back up and waded out into my aunt's yard."

McCoy murmured, "I'm going to step outside for a few minutes and get the attendant to page Saavik's doctor."

Uhura saw Spock nod from the corner of her eye. She continued her story. "I ended up having a wonderful time! We made a snowman and snow angels, and we held our open mouths to the sky so that the snowflakes would fall on our tongues. We tasted the snow, Saavik! It tastes sharp and fresh, like winter, and evergreens, and bright sparkling afternoons... and... shining white... Oh, Lord..."

She covered her eyes and tried her best not to cry, but the strain of the long journey, the lack of sleep, the accumulated fear and worry of the last twenty-seven hours, and the unfamiliar stillness of the little girl before her were all too much and she couldn't stop herself. She choked down the urge to sob out loud, but she could not prevent the tears from slipping between her fingers.

Spock sat quietly with her during the long minutes it took for her to regain her composure. When she found that she could draw a normal breath again, she realized with horror that Spock was probably appalled at her emotional breakdown.

Without uncovering her eyes, she whispered, "Spock, I'm so sorry. Forgive me. I didn't mean to act this way, but the reality of seeing her like this, well, I guess I just wasn't prepared for it."

He did not answer. After another minute, she was able to wipe away the tears and turn to him. He drew his brows together and met her eyes.

"You do not need to apologize. Indeed, your reaction was quite understandable." He regarded her for a moment. "Nyota, I am most gratified that you are here. Your compassion is more appreciated than you know. Please do not feel that you cannot express yourself around me. If you wish to cry, cry. I will not be put off by it."

She didn't know what to say to this. Taking a deep breath, she reached out and brushed her fingers against the back of his hand. Her voice was still a little shaky, but she was able to continue her story.

"Saavik, someday I'll take you to Earth, and we'll go to my aunt's house and play in the snow. I promise. Spock can go with us, too, and we'll make sure he tastes it, and then we'll see what he has to say about it."

Raising an eyebrow, he retorted, "I can tell you now what I will say about it. Snow is merely a form of ice and has no true flavor."

Uhura watched him. "We'll make him taste the snow and he'll see. With a little imagination, he'll learn that snow can taste like anything. Anything at all."

She smiled, and she detected a softening of his features in response.

...

Much later that afternoon, McCoy pulled a chair over and sat next to Spock and Uhura. It was obvious from the questioning expression on Spock's face that he understood that McCoy had reached some sort of decision. Uhura, too, turned to him expectantly. Knowing that he was just stalling, McCoy checked the readings over the child's head before speaking.

"Spock, I've just spent the last hour discussing Saavik's treatment with Dr. Mirini, and she agrees with me that we need to be more aggressive and try a new medication. The current approach just doesn't seem to be working."

Spock frowned. "What are the risks?"

"Well, it's possible that this new medication could send her into shock. Also, her blood pressure is already higher than we'd like, and the medication might cause it to rise even higher. I have to point out, however, that the Rigellian Fever has invaded her nervous system to such an extent that the strain from that will continue to elevate her blood pressure anyway. So that part is a trade-off. The worst thing that could happen is cardiac arrest, but we'd be monitoring her closely and I don't think it's likely. I won't lie to you, though, and tell you that it's not possible."

"And if we do not change the medication?"

"She will become weaker. Her fever will continue. Eventually, she will lapse into a coma, and when the virus reaches a critical level in her brain, she'll die."

McCoy hated to be so blunt, but he knew that Spock would accept nothing less than total honesty. As he waited for Spock to make his decision, he thought about how it would be if the tables were turned and it was Joanna lying there as still as death, and he was the one having to decide whether to gamble her life on a risky treatment. He forced his mind away from that and back to the crisis at hand.

He was a bit surprised when Spock turned to Uhura. "What is your opinion?"

"It doesn't sound like we have much choice."

"I agree."

"Then we have your consent?" McCoy asked.

"Yes."

"All right. We're going to have to run some tests before we can do this, and we'll have to give her system some time to flush out the current medication. We'll hurry as much as possible, but it's important that we do this right. I doubt if we'll be able to start until sometime tomorrow. Maybe not until the day after. Anyway, nothing is going to happen soon. When was the last time you took a break, Spock? Ate anything? Slept?"

Spock drew himself up and got that same old damned stubborn look on his face that McCoy had seen about a million times before. Obviously he hadn't done any of those things since this started. McCoy launched into a calculated tirade before Spock had a chance to argue with him.

"Go! Eat something! You aren't going to do her any good if you sit here and make yourself sick. This is going to be a long, drawn-out process, and you might as well get used to the idea that you can't sit here every minute. I've been down to the cafeteria, and it was pretty good. Now, as a doctor and as your friend, I'm telling you to get your skinny Vulcan ass down there and get something to eat."

Uhura touched Spock lightly on the arm. "I'm pretty hungry. Let's go down together and at least have a cup of tea." Spock looked from her to McCoy, and back again. Quietly, she added, "Please?"

Spock tightened his lips in exasperation. "I know when I am outnumbered. Very well. I am wearing a communicator, Doctor. Please contact me if anything changes."

"You know that I will. Uhura, make sure that he stays down there for at least an hour, or go outside and take a walk or something."

She nodded, and the two of them left the room. McCoy stared at the empty doorway for a few seconds before turning back to the little girl. Invoking whatever deities might be listening at the moment, he hoped that he was doing the right thing.

...

"Let's sit over there by the window. I haven't seen the sky since we arrived, and I'd really like to watch the rain."

"That is acceptable."

Spock followed Uhura to the empty table against the wall and seated himself across from her. She immediately busied herself by dumping what seemed to be an alarmingly excessive amount of dressing, salt, and pepper onto the salad that covered her plate.

She caught his expression and smiled guiltily. "Okay, so I'm indulging myself. You know that I don't normally do this."

"True." He picked up his fork and pushed some of his own salad around the plate. It was quite unappealing. Studying a piece of bread, he considered taking a bite of that instead, but it did not look any better. He put it down and gazed out the window for a moment. When he returned his attention to the table, he saw that Uhura was watching him.

"Spock, can't you at least try to eat something?"

"I am not hungry."

"Just try. Maybe your appetite will return."

He picked his fork back up and speared a tiny bit of salad, put it in his mouth, and put his fork down. After he had finished that bite and taken a drink of water, he met Uhura's eyes again.

She sighed. "You just can't do it, can you."

"No."

"Okay then." She stood and picked up both trays. "Mine doesn't look too good, either. Let's get rid of this and go somewhere else. When our shuttle came in, I saw a Chinese restaurant close by. Chinese food, here! I have got to see what kind of food a Chinese restaurant on Dantria would have, and I happen to know that you like Chinese food. It'll do you good to get out of the hospital, even if only for a short while."

"I do not think-"

"I'm not taking no for an answer! Come with me."

He did not move. "If this is a ploy to entice me to eat that salad, I shall do so."

"No! We need to get away from here. I'll make a scene if you don't come with me."

Spock frowned, but before he could reply she put down the trays and grabbed his arm in an attempt to pull him out of his seat. Several other cafeteria patrons had begun to watch them, so he hastily came to his feet. Suppressing a surge of irritation, he had opened his mouth to tell her that he would not leave the hospital, when he noticed the expression on her face. Although frustration was obvious on her tired features, underneath it he could see her concern for him.

He sighed. "Calm yourself, Nyota. I will accompany you."

"Good. I knew you would if I explained it to you logically."

"Do not think that you can use such behavior as leverage against me in the future."

"Are you kidding? Now that I've figured this out, it seems to me that next time you'll just have to listen to me in the first place if you want to avoid being embarrassed."

He shook his head as he followed her out of the cafeteria.

...

"Well, squirt, let's make sure that you're not anemic."

McCoy reset his scanner to register the level of copper in Saavik's blood. Waving it over her motionless body, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Good, good."

He lifted his hand to change the settings again, but paused just before his fingers hit the touchpad. The variance was tiny, and only someone exceedingly familiar with Vulcan physiology might notice it, but this didn't quite look right. Initializing all settings, he started from scratch and rescanned her. There it was again.

Sticking his head into the hall, he saw a nurse leave the next room and caught her attention.

"Nurse? Could you do me a favor and go down to the genetics lab for a minute? I need to run a series R-253 on our little patient here."

The nurse tilted her head and gave him a puzzled look. "Yes, doctor."

McCoy sat back down by Saavik's bedside and studied her thin face. Could it be? He recalled a couple of the stories Uhura had affectionately related to him during their long flight. At the time, he'd just been tickled to envision how Spock had reacted to minnows in the kitchen sink, or how his stoic Vulcan friend had dealt with a child who angrily carried a blanket up a tree and claimed that she was going to live there forever after being scolded for using foul language. Now, though, McCoy realized that he hadn't even considered how atypical Saavik's behavior was for a Vulcan. Why, every Vulcan child he'd ever known was reserved and composed, but this girl was a firecracker.

Damn Spock and his tight-lipped evasiveness! Try as he might, though, he couldn't stay mad at his friend. Spock obviously cared about this child very much. He wouldn't deliberately withhold information that might help her.

The nurse returned with the test kit, and McCoy applied himself to learning the truth about Spock's mysterious little ward.

End chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 3

Pulling the thin covers up around her neck, Uhura closed her eyes and tried to relax. Every inch of her body, from her head to her feet, ached with exhaustion. As a matter of fact, she was so tired that she didn't even know which part of her needed rest the most, and she felt as if her whole being was just a lead weight on the narrow hospital cot that Dr. McCoy had arranged to be brought into Saavik's room. He, himself, was sleeping right now in an area down the hall with beds for doctors and the families of patients, but she had declined going there because she wanted to stay by Saavik's side. Spock wouldn't leave either, so she and he had agreed to take shifts on this bed. She'd accepted gratefully when he told her to go first. So why, then, couldn't she sleep?

She was very aware of Spock sitting quietly on the other side of Saavik's bed. He had picked up a padd somewhere around the hospital and was searching for something to read. Even though she had her back to him, she could tell by the intermittent sound of his fingers pushing the keys and the rustle of his sleeve that he wasn't having much luck finding anything intriguing enough to hold his attention.

Although she was trying her best to empty her mind, she couldn't help but replay the events of the day over and over again like a broken recording. The long trip, arriving here... had that just been this morning? It seemed like another lifetime that she and Spock had wandered through the drizzle and feasted on fried rice and eggrolls, green beans in garlic sauce, and broccoli lo mein. Neither of them had been able to take their minds off the sick child in the big bed, but they had both finally found their appetites, and they had been able to chat about inconsequential matters and pretend that nothing was wrong for a little while.

Uhura sighed, unable to stop her roaming thoughts. Had Saavik suffered much when she fell ill? Or had she just gone to sleep and not awakened? Uhura had avoided bringing up what she was certain was a rushed and lonely trip to the hospital when Spock had finally understood that this was more than just a case of the flu. Now, though, in the long, empty stretch of the night, she decided that she had to know.

She rolled over and propped her head up on her hand. Spock, seeing that she was awake and watching him, put down the padd.

"Are you unable to sleep?"

"I just can't quit thinking about everything."

He nodded. "Understandable."

"Can I ask you what really happened? I mean, how it happened? What you did? What it was like for Saavik?"

She knew as she blurted out her questions that she wasn't being very clear, but he seemed to comprehend what she meant. "I will tell you whatever you wish to know."

"Maybe you can just start at the beginning and describe it to me."

He paused to stretch out his legs. "Her first symptom was fatigue. We had embarked on one of our customary walks, but she became tired before we had gone far, and we turned back. I did not think much of it at the time, because she had been angry with me earlier for requiring her to release a jar of insect larvae that she had brought from the pond into the house. I assumed that she was merely being recalcitrant. By the evening, however, she had developed a fever."

He looked at his hands, which were clasped loosely on his lap. "She also told me that her arms and legs 'hurt,' but I thought it was only the muscle ache generally associated with fever. I did not realize that it was specifically confined to her joints. If I had questioned her more thoroughly, it is possible I would have detected sooner that this was not merely another case of influenza."

"You couldn't have known."

He pulled his hands apart, studied them for a moment, and then very deliberately interlaced his fingers again. Although he didn't answer or even look at her, she could tell that he didn't agree.

"Spock, you had no reason to think that it was anything worse."

"Perhaps not. At any rate, I put her to bed and spent the remainder of the evening reading. When I checked her before I retired for the night, she did not stir. I do not know why I thought it unnatural. After all, she is a very sound sleeper. I became concerned, however, and tried to wake her. When she did not respond, I turned on the light and found the rash. It was at that point that I carried her to the flitter and took her to the hospital. Unfortunately, they did not immediately recognize it as Rigellian Fever, so even more hours were lost that could have been used for early treatment."

"Did she ever wake up?"

"No. She has not shown any awareness of her situation since she went to bed two nights ago. The doctors have assured me that technically she is not comatose, but I know that the distinction between her unconscious state and a coma is not terribly great."

Uhura put her head back down on the pillow. "So Dr. McCoy will start the new treatment as soon as possible."

"Yes."

They were silent for such a long time that she finally felt herself beginning to drift away.

"Nyota."

She opened her eyes.

"Thank you for coming."

"I couldn't stay away."

"I know. Go to sleep."

She graced him with a small smile before rolling back over. The last thing she heard was the sound of his fingers on the padd.

...

The next two days and nights were a blur of alternately sitting by Saavik's bedside and napping on the small, uncomfortable cot. Uhura had kept a steady stream of plastifoam cups coming and going, glad for the chance to walk down to the cafeteria for tea, but even the tea had become monotonous rather than soothing.

The only breaks in the mind-numbing routine had been twice-daily excursions to the Chinese restaurant across the way. The owners of the restaurant had quickly come to know her and Spock, and they had gone to great lengths to concoct interesting new vegetarian dishes to entice the two of them to eat. The enjoyment of their meals, however, had quickly dwindled into merely an excuse to get away from the hospital for the short respite it provided them. And each time they left the restaurant, she would have a quaint little cardboard carton in her hand containing a new delicacy for McCoy, but even the novelty of that soon wore off.

Finally, late in the second evening, McCoy had come into their room and declared that Saavik would be ready to begin the new treatments in the morning. It had been a great disappointment when the two doctors had postponed it twice, but Uhura was hopeful that maybe tomorrow the little girl would turn the corner. She sat in her usual chair, sipping her flavorless tea, and listened to the conversation between the two doctors

and Spock.

Spock held a padd in his hands. "So you believe this formula to be the best for her, given her age and uncommon genetic background."

That puzzled Uhura a bit, especially when Spock glanced up and met her eyes, but she let it go.

"Yes," said McCoy. "As you can see, we've elevated the inhibitors, since there's, uh, a big unknown there. We just can't be sure how her mixed physiology will react to the bilexacillin. Speaking of which, why didn't you tell me about her parentage sooner?"

Spock closed his eyes briefly. "Forgive me, doctor. I should have. I must admit that it did not even occur to me."

"Well, I figured it out soon enough. I guess you've had a lot on your mind."

Uhura frowned in confusion when Spock met her eyes again. He looked uncomfortable, and she tilted her head to the side as she tried to understand. Suddenly, it dawned on her that not only had he kept something from her, but he also felt bad for doing so.

McCoy continued. "We need to run some last-minute tests. Would you mind moving away from the bed? We need to get the equipment closer."

Spock stood. "Actually, Doctor, I believe that Commander Uhura and I shall take this opportunity to walk outside. If she is agreeable."

She blinked, surprised. "Uh, sure. Let me get rid of this tea."

McCoy was already busy supervising the positioning of the new equipment. "Take your time. I'll make sure that someone stays with Saavik until you get back."

Spock motioned for Uhura to precede him through the door. She watched him closely as they rode the lift to the lobby and exited the building, but he didn't give her any clue about what was troubling him.

Finally, as they walked slowly through the manicured hospital grounds, he spoke.

"I have been less than honest with you."

She hadn't expected him to say that. "Really."

"Yes. Although I have not lied to you, I have also omitted telling you something important. I decided long ago that it would always be Saavik's decision as to whether or not she divulges her background to other people, but I am also quite certain that she would want you to know. You are involved, you care very much for her, and the information I withheld from you has complicated her treatment and her chances for recovery."

Uhura bit her lip as she wondered what could be so terrible in Saavik's past that it had been kept from her, a dark secret to be held close and never shared. Something that would threaten Saavik, even now. They had reached the farthest reaches of the hospital lawn so were walking in near darkness, and she had to strain to see his face.

"Saavik is the product of a union that should not have been. A forced union."

"Rape?"

He nodded. "I do not know if you are aware of the details of Vulcan biology, but we..." He hesitated, and she could make out his features just well enough to tell that he was avoiding her eyes. "Rather, our drives are such that we are susceptible to certain influences and manipulation by unscrupulous beings."

His words were so halting and pained that it hurt her to hear them. She wanted to tell him that it was all right, that he didn't need to explain this, but she knew that anything important enough to force him into such difficulty was something she needed to know. She kept her mouth shut and waited for him to continue.

"What I am trying to tell you is that rape, to a Vulcan, is more than simply a violation of the body. If that were true, any logical being would understand that the body is merely the body, nothing more. But the unspeakable part of such an act, to a Vulcan, is the rape of the mind. It is inconceivable, then, that a child such as Saavik was brought into being from such a brutal and ugly act."

Uhura was beginning to understand. "I had assumed that she is Vulcan."

"One of her parents was Vulcan." He stopped and finally met her eyes. "The other was Romulan. There are many other children like her, too."

Uhura looked away. Romulans? Raping Vulcans? It was too awful to consider. "Does she understand?"

"Not entirely. She knows that she is the product of a Vulcan-Romulan cross, but she does not understand the full import of what it means. Someday she will have to know, but for now I have chosen to shield her. Her life was harsh before I met her; the memory of that is enough of a burden without adding to it."

"Thank you for telling me this. I know that it was difficult, and I'm honored that you would share it with me."

"As I said, you are involved. It is only right that you should know."

She nodded, and they started back to the hospital.

...

"Spock, wake up."

Disoriented for only the briefest moment, Spock opened his eyes and sat up on the small cot. His internal clock told him that it was precisely 0807 hours, Dantrian time. Uhura stood before him, and Dr. McCoy and Dr. Mirini were setting up some new equipment next to Saavik's bed.

He came to his feet. Although he knew that he was successful in hiding his internal struggle from the others, he had in the last five days begun to experience a very un-Vulcan sense of suffocation, perhaps, or desperation. Would this be panic? It was most disturbing. He could not even accurately label these sensations, but they tended to occur when he was least equipped to cope. Such as now.

He would not allow himself to indulge such weak tendencies. Pushing them to the side, he concentrated on speaking with a level voice.

"I assume that you are ready to begin the new treatments."

"Yes," answered McCoy. "We're going to put her on an intravenous drip and introduce the increase gradually over the next ten minutes to a level of five parts per hundred."

Spock took a deep breath, suppressing another threatening surge of emotion. "How soon should we expect to see a change in her condition?"

"We'll find out if this is going to do any good within an hour. If she's going to have problems, well, it could be any time."

He nodded. There was nothing else to be said. Moving to the other side of Saavik's bed and seating himself, he was impressed at how calmly Uhura did the same. He glanced at her face, but she did not look away from Saavik, so he returned his attention to the hospital bed.

Illogically, he wished that he could touch Saavik. Physical contact had never been a factor in their relationship, but for some reason it suddenly seemed very important that he reassure himself as to the warm solidity of her presence. He tightened his grip on the armrests of his chair instead.

"Beginning point five bilexacillin." McCoy's voice was tersely professional.

"Vitals steady," said Dr. Mirini. "No change in blood pressure. Viral count unaffected."

"Point eight."

"No change."

There was a long pause. "One point two."

Spock looked at Uhura again. Although she still did not meet his eyes, she reached over and placed her hand on his forearm.

"Two point five."

"Blood pressure increasing."

"Back down to two."

"Stable."

"Two point three."

"Blood pressure holding."

Uhura's fingers were digging painfully into his arm.

"Okay, let's go back up to two point five."

"Holding."

"Three."

Spock winced, and carefully reached over with his free hand to loosen her grip on his arm. When she glanced at him apologetically and tried to withdraw, though, he placed his hand over hers.

"I do not mind the contact, Nyota, if it brings you comfort. It is merely the pain that I wish to avoid."

Mouthing 'sorry,' she patted his arm and tightened her grip briefly before relaxing it to a much more comfortable level. They both looked back to the drama before them.

"Three point five."

"Blood pressure increasing."

"Three."

"Still increasing. Administering depacordrazine."

The seconds ticked by. Finally, Dr. Mirini said, "Blood pressure stable. Go ahead, Dr. McCoy."

"Back to three point five."

"Stable."

"Four."

Spock alternately watched Saavik's pale face and the panel over her head. When her blood pressure had increased, he had noticed that a small amount of color had brightened her cheeks, but it had vanished just as quickly. He forced himself to take deep, even breaths.

"Four point five."

"Blood pressure increasing again. Heart rate erratic."

"Four."

Suddenly one of the monitors at the head of the bed emitted a long tone. Uhura's fingers clamped onto his arm like a vise, but this time he scarcely noticed it.

Dr. McCoy shouted, "Damn! Quick, hand me the defib. Back!"

Uhura whispered. "Oh no, no, no."

Saavik's little body arched off the bed with the jolt from the defibrillator, and the whine of the monitor immediately subsided to a low, steady beep again. Spock closed his eyes and attempted to bring his own pounding heart back under control.

McCoy shook his head. "We can't go forward. Bringing bilexacillen back down to three. Two. One. Okay, that's it. How is she doing?"

"Holding steady. She's a tough little thing."

Everyone was quiet. Finally, Spock cleared his throat and said, "What do we do now, Doctor?"

McCoy ran his hand across his forehead, pushed the equipment back against the wall, and then pulled a chair over next to Spock and Uhura. She dropped her hand from Spock's arm, allowing it to hang limply between them.

"We wait. I'm going to keep looking for another answer, but for now I don't have one. I'm sorry, Spock."

"You tried."

"This might be a good time to go home," McCoy said. "I've noticed that you don't have any of your personal effects or even a change of clothes. Nothing is going to happen here right away. She's stable again and in no immediate danger. This is liable to be a long process."

"Understood."

"Why don't you take Uhura with you? Maybe you two can round up a few items that might be meaningful to Saavik. I don't want to give you false hope, but if she were to come out of this, it might make the whole experience less frightening if she found a few familiar things around the room."

Spock looked at Uhura. She nodded, so he turned to McCoy and said, "We will be back by 1200 hours."

They stood, and he allowed her to precede him out the door.

End chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 4

The flight to Spock's house was long and quiet. They were both so drained by the morning's events that neither could find the energy to speak. Uhura thought about the last time they had sat like this in Spock's flitter, the morning after he had almost kissed her but then closed himself away, and the tensions of that day seemed ridiculously unimportant now.

Looking out the window, she numbly watched the tops of the trees flow like a colorful river beneath them. Saavik had been right. Red, orange, yellow, still some green here and there-the pigments were beautiful. Trying to force herself to derive some pleasure from them, she finally broke the silence.

"I can't get over the drastic change in the scenery. When I left, it was warm, and everything was lush and green."

"The seasons tend to change rather dramatically in this hemisphere."

She looked ahead and thought that she recognized the clearing before them. "Is that it?" she asked.

"Yes."

Spock brought the flitter down to a smooth landing. When Uhura climbed out and took a look at the cottage at the edge of the woods, she had to swallow past a sudden lump in her throat. Maybe it was just her imagination, but the little house that had looked so cheery and welcoming before just looked empty now. Empty and abandoned. Lost.

She shook off that train of thought and started toward the front door. Glancing at Spock, who walked placidly beside her, she was glad for his stalwart presence. She wanted to tell him how much his friendship meant to her, how much she relied on his strength and his steadiness, but the words that actually came out of her mouth were very different.

"Neither of us has had anything to eat today," she said.

"Perhaps we can find something here."

The front door was not locked. He turned the latch, pushed it open, and motioned for her to go first. She walked to the center of the main room, then stopped to survey her surroundings. It looked just like it had when she left, except for the unmade beds that she could glimpse through two of the bedroom doorways. Spock's nightclothes were piled on the edge of his bed, evidence of his late-night scramble to rush Saavik to the hospital.

Uhura went straight to the kitchen and picked up the kettle. "Spock, why don't you go ahead and get your things together, and I'll fix us some tea and neaten up around here."

"That is an acceptable plan."

Quickly putting water on to heat, she went to his room and hesitated at the doorway. "Uh, do you mind if I come in? I thought that I could make your bed for you."

He was standing by the bed folding his nightclothes. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Certainly. That would be most appreciated, but I will help you."

She went around to the other side of the bed, and the two of them tugged the covers up and straightened the pillows. She was a little amused despite herself at the domestic scenario, and she smiled when they grabbed the bedspread and tucked it up against the pillows in perfect synchrony. He raised an eyebrow at the look on her face, but she was saved from having to explain when the kettle whistled in the kitchen.

"Be right back."

She dug around until she found a couple of teabags, and she put their tea on to brew. She hadn't seen anything else to do in his room, so she headed to Saavik's and began straightening her bed.

"What do you think we should take for Saavik?" she asked.

"I am uncertain," he replied from the next room. "I will join you momentarily and we can decide."

Uhura plumped up the pillows. "She doesn't have any little toys or mementos, does she?"

"No, unless you consider the assorted flotsam that she has accumulated during our walks in the woods."

She smiled again, this time at his choice of words. Looking around at Saavik's 'collections,' she saw that flotsam aptly described the piles of rocks, leaves, and even a bird nest or two that littered every available surface in the room. Her smile faded just as quickly as it had come, though, when she remembered the lively girl who coveted every tiny bit of nature that caught her eye.

Entering the room, Spock continued. "And I sincerely doubt that they would let us bring a jar of insects into the hospital."

"Probably not." She put the finishing touches on the bed and walked over to sort through the items piled on top of Saavik's dresser.

"Here are some pretty rocks."

"Her favorite rocks are over here, in this box." Spock knelt under the window and pulled a large, heavy-looking box away from the wall.

Uhura continued to rummage around on the top of the dresser. "These feathers-"

She was interrupted by a small noise from Spock. He hadn't actually said anything, but she recognized his voice, and it was such an unusual sound to be coming from him that it caught her attention. Looking quickly over her shoulder, she was alarmed by his posture. He was still kneeling on the floor, but his shoulders were bowed and his eyes were tightly closed. He held something small in his hands.

"Spock? What is it? What's wrong?"

She leaned over behind him and saw what it was. "Oh, Spock. Oh..."

Saavik's little lizard, the same small creature that had crawled into Uhura's bed her very first morning there as if in welcome, the favorite pet that had been the cause of many searches and many bug-hunting expeditions, lay stiffly across his hand. It was obviously dead.

Uhura knelt next to him. Although it was almost imperceptible, she could see that his hands were shaking with the effort it cost him to retain his control. She wanted to put her arms around him, to pull him close and reassure him that it would be all right, that it was only a lizard and that it didn't mean anything, but she knew she couldn't. Instead, very gently, she said, "Here. Give it to me. I'll take it."

She tenderly lifted the tiny corpse from his hand and carried it out of the room. Searching the kitchen, she found a vacuum bag and sealed the lizard into it, wrapped the small bundle in a napkin, and placed it all in the stasis unit.

When she returned to Saavik's room, Spock was back on his feet as though nothing had happened, holding a handful of rocks and digging through the top drawer of the dresser. He didn't look up at her. Uhura found an empty box in the closet, and they searched wordlessly around the room until they had collected a satisfactory assortment of her treasures.

He carried the box to the front door and set it by his duffel while she went into the kitchen to remove the teabags. When he stood next to her, washing his hands at the kitchen sink, she finally spoke.

"I'm afraid that I forgot to take the teabags out. Our tea is probably going to be too strong."

"It is of no consequence. Do you still wish to eat?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

"Nor am I. Perhaps we can simply drink our tea and return."

"That sounds good."

She pulled a small container of milk out of the stasis unit and placed it next to her mug, and they sat at the table. He watched as she stirred a little milk into her tea, and they both picked up their mugs and took a sip. She grimaced and met his eyes.

"Yech. Here, let me dump that out and start over."

He handed it to her without comment. The water was still hot, so it only took her a moment to rinse out their cups and pour water over two new teabags. When she sat back down, she said, "Okay, this time I'll pay more attention to the tea."

He steepled his hands before him. "I must apologize for my behavior earlier. Although I am regretful that Saavik will no longer have her pet, the death of a lizard is hardly a catastrophic event."

"It doesn't matter. You've been a rock throughout this whole episode, and it was bound to catch up with you sooner or later. I know that your so-called 'behavior' wasn't about that lizard."

"A 'rock'? Hardly. Perhaps that is what you perceive, but it is not what I feel."

She was touched that he would confess something like that to her. "I understand, Spock. I understand exactly what you mean. But regardless of what's going on in your head, I know you well enough to know that you're still the most steadfast and strong person I know."

"I must admit that I am somewhat surprised to hear you say that, for I have always thought the same of you."

"Me? No, not me. Why, just a little while ago I was thinking about how grateful I am that I have you to lean on."

He took a deep breath. "Well. Then perhaps we shall have to lean on one another in the coming days. I fear that they will be difficult."

She reached across the table and captured his hand in her own. He did not resist, and they sat like that for several long moments, hands clasped and gazing into one another's eyes. He finally broke the silence.

"You have forgotten about the tea."

"Oh!" She jumped up. "Sorry! Damn it. Well, I'm not going to make it again."

"I am certain that it will be acceptable."

They had just begun to sip their tea when Spock's communicator beeped. She caught her breath, and the tea she had just swallowed suddenly turned to acid in her stomach. When she met his eyes, she saw the same helpless dread written there that she knew was on her own face.

He whipped his communicator out of his pocket and flipped it open with the ease of many years' practice. Not looking away from her, he said tightly, "Spock here."

"Spock. It's McCoy." The doctor's voice was animated, and Spock raised both eyebrows. Uhura didn't dare hope for good news, but...

"Yes, Doctor."

"Mirini and I did some more research, and we discovered that we can use kedracybulin to counter the negative side effects of the bilexacillen. We want to try again."

Uhura sat up straighter.

"How soon do you wish to do this?" Spock asked.

"We'll begin just as soon as you can get back here."

"We will leave immediately. Spock out."

Snapping the communicator shut, he said, "We should not become overly optimistic."

Uhura was already on her feet gathering up their mugs. "No, we wouldn't want to do that. But Spock, maybe, oh maybe, this will be the answer."

He nodded, and she could see cautious hope in his expression. Tucking the communicator back into his pocket as he stood, he picked up the milk and opened the stasis unit.

"Nyota, what is this?"

When she looked closer, she saw that he had found the napkin-wrapped bag that held the dead lizard.

"Um, that's Saavik's lizard."

He drew away as if it were going to bite him. "In the stasis unit?" he asked incredulously.

"Well, yes. It's in a vacuum bag. I couldn't just throw it away!"

"Why not?"

"That's Saavik's pet! She can't just come home and find it gone. This way, we can show it to her and she can say goodbye to it properly."

Uhura squeezed in front of him and firmly shut the door to the stasis unit. They moved toward the front door.

"But it is dead." Shouldering his duffel bag and picking up Saavik's box, he looked at her as if she had gone around the bend.

"Didn't you ever have a funeral for a pet?"

"No."

"Well, maybe you're in for a new experience."

Although he did not comment, he gave her a look that she thought spoke louder than words, and she laughed out loud. _Yes_, he was telling her, _that much is obvious_. She could hear it as if he had actually said it.

They left the cottage and walked quickly to the flitter. Soon, they were airborne and on their way back to the hospital.

...

Dr. McCoy pushed open the door and crept quietly into the room. Uhura looked up as he moved past her, and they acknowledged one another with a smile. On the other side of Saavik's bed, Spock was stretched out on the cot with his eyes closed and his hands folded across his chest. Although it was hard to tell in the low light, his breathing looked like it was deep and even, so McCoy assumed that he was sleeping rather than meditating. Good. He'd only seen Spock sleep a few hours since he and Uhura had arrived, and even a Vulcan had limits to his endurance.

Setting his scanner so that it would function silently, he ran it over the little girl. Excellent. Although she had still shown no sign of waking, her viral count was way, way down, and her vitals were stronger. The kedracybulin/bilexacillen combination had been wildly effective, and he hoped that he could disable the isolation field tomorrow, uh, later today. His time sense had still not adapted to the Dantrian clock, and he had to remind himself that it was after midnight. He gave Uhura a thumbs up, and her shoulders sagged in relief.

As an afterthought, McCoy tiptoed over to Spock and ran the scanner over his sleeping friend. Good. His weight was a little low and the chemical byproducts of stress and fatigue were evident in his body, but he really wasn't in bad shape. McCoy had surreptitiously scanned him a couple of days ago and had become concerned by what he found then, but Spock seemed to be doing better now.

The doctor glanced over at Uhura, who had rested her cheek on her fist and appeared to be half-asleep in her chair, and he silently thanked her for taking it upon herself to make sure that Spock ate, slept, and relaxed occasionally. Remembering the times in years past when he had tried to persuade Spock to take better care of himself, only to have his advice fall on deaf pointy ears, he wondered if maybe he should have enlisted Uhura a long time ago to keep this stubborn Vulcan in line. Spock definitely seemed to listen to her.

He patted her on the shoulder as he left the room. Gently closing the door behind him, he decided that he'd find a bed of his own and get some shut-eye. The crisis had passed.

...

Spock leaned forward in his chair and studied Saavik's face. Her color was excellent, and the terrible rash had faded to barely more than a flush across her neck and jaw. Although she had finally begun to stir restlessly against her pillow a little, she still had not awakened.

"Do you think that she'll be frightened when she wakes up?" Uhura asked.

"Possibly," he replied. "Although the Rigellian Fever is gone, there is residual damage in her joints. She will most likely be unable to move at first, and I anticipate that it will be quite painful as well."

Uhura stroked the little hand that lay limply in her own. She and Spock were both crowded so close to Saavik's bed that their knees brushed whenever either of them shifted even the smallest bit.

"Dr. McCoy said that she should recover completely, though, right?"

"Correct. She will be weak and will require some physical therapy, but Dr. McCoy predicts that she will be back to full health within a standard month."

They both glanced up when McCoy walked through the door.

He smiled. "Did I just hear my name?"

"Spock was telling me that you expect Saavik to be back to normal within a month."

"Yes, and that's conservative. She's a spunky little thing, and I'll bet that she's up and about before you know it. So, let's see how my patient is doing."

He tugged back the covers and checked her arms and legs. "The rash is almost clear." Scanning her, he added, "And the virus is completely gone. No trace of it at all."

When McCoy pulled the covers back up and tucked them under her arms, she stirred and began to wake. Spock looked at Uhura, who gripped Saavik's hand a little tighter. Moving from his chair to the side of the bed, he leaned over her and placed his hand lightly against her cheek.

"Saavikam? Wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open, and she frowned when she looked up at him, wincing at the light. "Spock?" Her voice was weak and thready. "I have to use the bathroom."

"Ah, Saavikam. You have been very sick. You are in the hospital now, but you will be fine." He removed his hand and sat back a little. "Look. You have a visitor."

Saavik squinted and turned her head on the pillow. "Nyota! You are here!"

"Yes, honey, I'm here. You gave us all a real scare, but everything's going to be all right now. Dr. McCoy made you well again. Do you remember Dr. McCoy?"

Her expression very serious, she nodded. "What was wrong with me?"

"You had Rigellian Fever," Spock replied. "It is very rare. I know that you are weak and in some pain right now, but that will pass." He paused to clear his throat. "I am so very pleased to have you back, Saavikam."

He watched her for a reaction, but her eyes were shut and she had fallen asleep again. He closed his own eyes briefly, brushed her hair away from her forehead, and moved back into his seat.

McCoy came around the bed to stand close to him, and he saw that the doctor was grinning from ear to ear.

"See, what did I tell you, Spock? She's going to be fine, just fine."

McCoy squeezed his shoulder before turning back to Saavik. After a moment, Spock swallowed and looked over at Uhura. Her eyes were shining, and he knew that she was trying her best not to cry.

He finally found his voice again. "Tears of happiness?"

"Yes, oh yes."

He nodded. When she smiled at him, he had to resist the urge to smile back.

End chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 5

The sun was shining on the day they brought Saavik home. Although the air was brisk, the brilliant sunlight made every leaf on every tree stand out in crisp definition. When she left the flitter, Uhura could have sworn that she saw a rabbit, a Terran rabbit, skitter across the yard and vanish into the tall grass that bordered the forest, and she resolved to ask Spock about it later.

Saavik chattered constantly as Spock carried her into the house.

"Look at the trees, Nyota! They are so pretty! I found a red leaf before I went to the hospital, but it was not as bright as the leaves on those trees. Will you bring me one later? I will add it to my collection, and it can be your collection, too!"

Uhura held the door open for Spock and Saavik, and waited patiently for McCoy. He brought up the rear, carrying an armload of suitcases and Saavik's box. The box was much less sturdy than it had been when they took it to the hospital. Saavik had literally worn it out, sorting through her prized possessions and showing them to every doctor, nurse, or attendant who walked through the door.

"Dr. McCoy! This is our house. It is not very big, but we like it. My bedroom is the one in the middle, and Nyota's is the one to the left. Spock's bedroom is in the back. Where are you going to sleep?"

"Dr. McCoy is welcome to my room." Spock placed her on the sofa.

"Why, Spock, that's not necessary. I can sleep right here."

"I insist, Doctor. I do not require as much sleep as you do. In addition, I wish for you to be well-rested and alert in case Saavik should need you."

"Since you put it that way, I accept. Thank you."

"It is nothing."

While Spock showed McCoy around the house, Uhura carried her suitcase to her room. She looked around and was struck by the impression that she had never even left. Unpacking her things, she smiled as she listened to Saavik's running monologue from the other room.

"When I can walk again, I will show you our garden, Dr. McCoy! There is not much in it right now, except for my big squash. The stupid boys who live on the other side of the woods said that they were going to pick it and cook it, but I told them that they would be in big trouble if they did that."

From the corner of her eye, Uhura saw Spock standing in her doorway holding a blanket.

"Come on in. Is that for me?"

"Yes. It has been quite cool at night recently, and the blanket on your bed is not sufficient."

"Thanks. You can just set it down right there."

He placed it carefully at the foot of her bed but didn't make any move to leave. Obviously, he had something else on his mind.

"What is it, Spock?"

"I wished to ask your opinion about when we should inform Saavik that her lizard is deceased."

Uhura had forgotten about the lizard. Grimacing, she said, "Let's not do it today. She won't even miss it at first. Maybe tomorrow."

He nodded. Saavik's voice continued in the other room, but it had slowed down quite a bit. She was getting tired. "Nyota, did you know that Spock made me read some plays written by a Terran named Shakespeare? Do you know who he is? His plays are really boring. All he wants to write about are kings and crazy people, and his Standard is all wrong!"

She smiled at Spock and spoke softly. "Shakespeare? At ten years old? You _are_ cruel."

"I was quite familiar with the entire works of William Shakespeare by the time I was her age."

"I don't doubt it."

Saavik was quiet for a moment before she said, "He also told me to read 'Treasure Island' by Robert Louis Stevenson, and it was very good."

Uhura looked at Spock. "Pirates?"

"I thought that it might be more to her liking."

After that, Saavik was quiet. Spock and Uhura went out to check on her and found her sleepily trying to keep her eyes open.

"Saavikam, you are tired."

"No! Well, maybe. But I don't want to miss anything."

McCoy came out of his room. "Tell you what. If you'll take a nap, I'll take a nap. That way, there won't be much to miss."

She considered. "Very well. That is logical."

As Spock picked Saavik up and carried her into her room, Uhura smiled at the little girl's choice of words and hoped that Spock could hear the echo of his own voice in her speech. He was so good with her, and this was just one more example of how much she adored him.

Helping Spock settle her into the bed, McCoy said, "Saavik and I will be fine here, if the two of you want to get out for a while."

Uhura stood in the doorway. "That's a great idea. The only exercise I've had for days is walking back and forth from the hospital to the Chinese restaurant. What do you say, Spock? Will you go on a walk with me?"

"Certainly. Do you require anything before I leave, Saavik?"

She shook her head and closed her eyes, already half asleep.

Spock stood. "Allow me to locate my jacket, and we shall go."

...

"I love it here," Uhura said. "This place is beautiful, and every day is a joy. At first I didn't think I'd ever be back, and then I was afraid that my second visit would end in tragedy, so simply walking down this lane again seems extra sweet."

Spock looked at Uhura as she strolled beside him. "To have had one's way of life threatened and restored certainly causes one to be grateful for even the smallest pleasures."

They walked in silence until she wandered over to the side of the road and stopped by the edge of the meadow.

"Look at those pretty flowers! I would have thought that it was too late in the year for wildflowers, but the meadow is full of them. Do you mind if I go out and look at them?"

"Not at all. Can you climb over the fence?"

"I can if you'll help me."

He held her elbow while she climbed over the flimsy wire fence. It sagged and swayed dangerously, and she laughed. "Oh heavens, I hope we don't break it."

"It is sturdier than it appears."

"If you say so."

She hopped off onto the other side. "Your turn."

"Perhaps if you pull up on this portion of the fence it will help to offset my weight."

"Okay."

Taking advantage of his longer legs, he moved nimbly over the fence and joined her on the other side. Together, they waded out into the knee-high, dusty grass, dotted with clumps of bright orange and yellow flowers.

She stopped and turned toward him when she reached the middle of the field. "Let's gather up a whole bunch of these to put in Saavik's room."

"They will be full of insects."

"Are you saying that insects haven't ever been in her room?"

"I concede your point. Very well. Do you have a preference as to what variety we bring her?"

"Anything. Anything and everything. The bigger the better."

They applied themselves to their task and soon had two large armfuls of flowers. Tossing them over the fence, Uhura started over, but she paused at the highest point to look around. The sun had dropped low enough to streak the sky with pink and yellow, and the shadows from the trees were beginning to encroach on the road. Small insects flitted around them, disturbed by the intrusion into their grassy home.

Waiting patiently, Spock stood with his hand on her elbow while she surveyed the countryside. "Look at the sky," she said.

"I see it. Most impressive."

"I would love to stay out here and watch the sunset, but I know that we need to get back to Saavik."

"Perhaps we can return tomorrow."

"That would be wonderful. We'll plan on it."

She swung her leg over the fence and jumped off, and then helped Spock over. They gathered the flowers and headed for home. Although they didn't hurry, even taking some time to find Saavik's red leaf, it seemed like only moments before they were stepping through the rear door of the little house.

They were greeted by Saavik, back on the sofa. "Hello! Dr. McCoy is looking for my lizard. I know that he is here somewhere, but he has found a good hiding place this time. We cannot find him anywhere!"

Spock and Uhura exchanged guilty glances. Taking the flowers from his arms, she said, "Honey, I think Spock has something very sad to tell you."

Saavik frowned as Spock came over to sit next to her. "Saavikam, you found your lizard almost immediately after we came here. He was mature at that time, so I would assume that he had grown quite old. It is with regret that I must tell you that he is gone."

She frowned harder. "He is hiding!" she said belligerently.

Spock shook his head. "No, Saavikam. He is no longer alive."

"He died?" Her eyes were big.

"Yes."

She thought about that for a moment. "Where is he?" she asked, her voice quavering.

Spock looked beseechingly at Uhura, and she didn't know if it was because he couldn't deal with Saavik's sorrow or because he didn't want to get that dead lizard out of the stasis unit. She threw the flowers into the sink and hurried over to retrieve it herself.

"Here, honey. We saved it for you."

Saavik unwrapped the napkin and studied the lizard in the little bag.

McCoy came over to sit next to her. "I'm sorry, Saavik. I know what that little critter meant to you. I wish I could have seen it when it was alive. I'll bet that it was the best lizard ever."

Everyone was quiet. Finally, Uhura asked, "Would you like to have a funeral for it?"

Saavik looked up. "A funeral?"

"Yes, you know. Say a few kind words and bury it."

Perking up slightly, Saavik asked, "Would you sing a song?"

"I'd be honored."

Ten minutes later, Uhura found herself outside, standing next to Spock and Saavik, who was in Spock's arms, as the three of them watched Dr. McCoy direct a very fine graveside service for a lizard. She had to smile, because it was obvious that this wasn't the first time he'd ever done something like this. She couldn't help but steal a glance at Spock and almost laughed out loud at his expression. Saavik was entranced, but Spock looked like he wouldn't mind if a big hole opened in the ground and swallowed him up.

When it was over, McCoy took Saavik from Spock and carried her in for a physical therapy session. Before Spock could follow them, Uhura leaned close and whispered, "See? I told you that you were in for a new experience."

He raised an eyebrow in response. "I must say that the highlight of the service was your rendition of 'Oh Danny Boy.' Most appropriate."

Smiling at his teasing tone, she said, "Oh, leave me alone. I couldn't think of anything better."

He slid the door open for her, and they stepped inside.

...

"Dr. McCoy?"

He eased Saavik's right leg back onto the bed and reached for her left. They hadn't even started this set of exercises until the very end of her hospital stay, and Dr. McCoy had said that it would take her six days to do them, but she had showed him. This was easy, and it had just taken her three days!

"You're doing great, Saavik. See if you can bend that leg just a little more."

Saavik frowned. He wasn't listening to her. "Dr. McCoy!" she repeated emphatically.

"Huh? Oh, yes?"

"Where does Joanna live?"

McCoy smiled and put her leg down, and settled himself more comfortably on the side of the bed so that he could talk. Although she was careful to keep her expression neutral, internally she congratulated herself. She knew that she could get him to stop doing these stupid exercises.

"She lives on Earth. With her mother in New York state."

"Does it snow there?"

Chuckling, McCoy said, "It sure does! It snows so hard sometimes that the kids get to stay home from school."

"Why?"

"Well, a long time ago, when people used ground vehicles, the roads would be so clogged up that it was too dangerous to go anywhere and everyone would have to stay home. Even though that's not a problem anymore, a lot of places have continued the tradition of 'snow days.' Now, I grew up in Georgia, and it hardly ever snows there, but one of my very best memories is of waking up one morning to find snow on the ground and getting to stay home from school."

"Didn't you like school?"

"Uh, sure I did!"

Saavik tilted her head and looked at him. Spock had told her that sometimes humans lied about things, but that they weren't always being bad when they did so. She wondered if this was one of those times.

"You are not telling the truth."

McCoy grinned sheepishly. "Okay, you caught me. When you're an adult, you remember school as being wonderful and fun. When you're a kid, though, you generally would rather be doing something else."

"The two stupid boys who live on the other side of the woods told me that they hate school, and that when I have to go away to school the teachers will be mean to me and make me do stuff. They said that all teachers are mean! I told them that Spock is my teacher and that he is not mean. Well, not usually. But they said that it will be different when I go away, and that sometimes teachers even eat children!"

"Aw, Saavik, they're just filling your ears with tall tales."

Saavik scowled. "Except for worms, they have never attempted to put anything in my ears."

"That's just a saying, an expression of speech. What I meant was that you shouldn't believe everything they tell you. They're making up stories to scare you."

"I was not scared! I did not believe their stupid stories anyway."

McCoy stood and picked up Saavik's leg again. "So, you're going away to school?"

"Yes. Spock said that I must learn to get along with other children. I told him that I get along just fine with those stupid boys! But he said that I have a lot to learn, and that part of growing up is learning to be self, uh, self-efficient."

"Spock is wise. You'd do well to listen to him."

"That is what he told me, although I pointed out that I would have to listen to him to understand to listen to him, and that such logic is circular."

McCoy laughed out loud. "Squirt, anyone who could argue with Spock like that is okay in my book!"

Saavik didn't understand what book he meant, but she didn't comment. Spock had already warned her that humans said many strange things, and that sometimes you had to just look for the meaning behind the words.

The doctor put down her leg and took her hand. "Okay, Saavik, we're going to try something new. See if you can pull my hand to your chest."

Only halfway concentrating on her new task, she couldn't wait to tell those two stupid boys that she knew they had lied to her.

...

Watching the leaves settle around him, McCoy climbed out of Spock's flitter with two large bags in his hands. When they'd realized this morning that they were low on coffee, he'd volunteered to run into town to buy some more. Glancing down at the heavy bags, he was a bit embarrassed that he'd come back with so much more than just the coffee, but the Dantrian shops were so quaint that he'd allowed himself to get carried away. Plus, after spending five days in this little house, as pleasant as it was, he'd been glad for any excuse to delay his return.

He walked through the front door to find Saavik sitting at the computer and Spock and Uhura cutting up vegetables in the kitchen. Dumping his bags on the kitchen table, he starting digging around in one of them.

"Nyota, you won't believe what I found today!"

She dried her hands on a kitchen towel and wandered in to see what he had.

"I know it's in here somewhere," he muttered. "Ah ha! Here it is."

With a triumphant grin on his face, he pulled out a deck of playing cards. He couldn't believe it when he saw them sitting on the counter in the little Dantrian bookstore, and he had bought them without giving it a second thought. True, they'd been a bit expensive, but that didn't matter. Playing cards! He knew that Uhura was a bit of a card shark, and he had visions of the two of them ganging up against Spock.

From the corner of the room, Saavik called out, "What is it?"

Uhura smiled. "Why Dr. McCoy, you have made me a very happy woman."

"I can't see! WHAT IS IT?"

"Hang on a minute, honey." Uhura hurried over and brought Saavik to the table. When the little girl was situated, she explained, "Dr. McCoy found us a deck of cards."

Saavik took them from McCoy's hand and studied them. A disappointed expression on her face, she said, "They do not look so exciting to me."

"Open the box, Saavikam." Spock had joined them and stood behind Saavik.

She slid the cards into her hand and pulled out a queen. "This is a very strange looking woman," she said, clearly unimpressed. "Is she someone important?"

Uhura sat next to her. "You play games with them, Saavik. See, each card is different. These are very popular on Earth."

"What kind of games?"

"Well, I like to play poker, but that's mainly a game for adults. When I was a kid, I liked to play Old Maid and Go Fish."

Saavik looked less impressed than ever, so McCoy sat down on the other side of her. "How about Crazy Eights? Or Klingons in the Corner?"

Taking the last seat, Spock said, "My mother always enjoyed playing solitaire. She knew many variations on the game, and her favorite versions required a great deal of mental effort and strategy. I would be pleased to see you challenge your mind in such a way."

Saavik scowled at him.

"I know what you'd like to play." Taking the deck from her, McCoy shuffled the cards and began to deal them into four stacks. "War."

Her expression brightened. "War?"

"Yes. It's completely a game of chance, no thinking involved, where you try to build up your army as big as you can until you defeat your opponents, one at a time."

"Okay. I want to play War."

McCoy met Spock's eyes and smiled at his friend's deflated expression. He'd teach this kid a few things about being a kid, or his name wasn't Leonard H. McCoy.

End chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 6

Adding another log to the fire, Spock was satisfied to see the flames immediately leap to capture it. Perhaps the room would grow warmer now. The weather had been inconsistent in the nine days since they had brought Saavik home; one day it would be relatively mild, but the next, the wind would blow and they would keep the fire going all day in an attempt to dispel the chill from their small home. Today had been one of the coolest days yet, and even McCoy, usually the last to notice the cold, had complained about the nip in the air.

He settled back onto the sofa next to Uhura. As usual, Saavik and McCoy had gone on to bed while he and Uhura stayed up, watching the fire and relaxing in one another's company. They had actually all fallen into quite a predictable routine, filling each day with meals, sessions with Saavik to limber and strengthen her limbs, an occasional card game, long periods of rest, and whatever lessons he could fit in between. Each morning they took turns pairing off for a brisk walk in the woods, and each afternoon they tried to take Saavik outside, even if only for a short while.

The two most unchanging constants, though, had been his and Uhura's walk each evening after supper, staying out until they had watched the sun dip below the horizon even if it meant that they returned shivering and flushed, and this quiet time on the sofa after everyone else had gone to bed, the lights off and the only illumination the flickering of the fire. He found that he had not only come to look forward to these peaceful evenings with her, but to count on them as well. They would turn the sofa toward the fire and stay up late, sometimes talking but just as often sitting in silence, until she too would retire to her bedroom and he would stretch out on the sofa.

His reverie was interrupted by a chuckle from Uhura, and he turned his head to see what she had found humorous.

"I was just thinking about the two boys from across the woods," she explained. "Poor things! Did you see their disappointed little faces when Saavik told them that she already had more than enough flowers, thank you very much?"

He sighed. "I have attempted to instill in her an awareness of how to refrain from expressing her every opinion, but I have obviously been mostly unsuccessful. I can hardly fault her for her inability to comprehend the subtleties of what I am trying to teach her, because I recall too well how difficult it was for me to grasp the concept."

"Oh yes, I can remember a few times when the words that came out of your mouth were, well, what many would consider less than tactful, but you figured it out. I'm sure that she will too someday. Besides, when they discovered that she still didn't have a red leaf that satisfied her high standards, they were pitifully happy to try to find one for her."

"That is true, although I intend to convince her tomorrow that she does not need to keep all of those leaves."

Uhura looked away from him and frowned. "I talked to Admiral Kirk today."

"I am aware of that."

"He wanted to know when Dr. McCoy and I thought we could return to the Enterprise. They've been given an assignment, and he needs us."

"I am aware of that, as well."

"I guess you and he talked about it yesterday when he called to check on Saavik."

"That is correct. May I ask what you told him?"

"That Saavik is much better, and that you really don't need me anymore. Dr. McCoy told him pretty much the same thing."

"It is true that she has progressed to a point where I can handle her physical therapy and thus there is really no reason for Dr. McCoy to stay. But as to whether or not we still require your presence..."

She was watching him closely with an odd expression on her face. Realizing that he did not know how to finish that sentence, he changed the subject.

"Have you selected a departure date?"

Still looking at him strangely, she said, "Day after tomorrow. I booked passage for both Dr. McCoy and myself on the 1300 shuttle."

He nodded and turned back to the fire. "I will be sorry to see you go. I have become quite accustomed to your presence."

She was quiet for such a long time that he finally turned and looked at her. Her eyes were luminous in the firelight, and he remembered the night that they had sat on the back porch and her eyes had shone in the starlight just like this. They had leaned close to one another that night, and he had been unsettled by her nearness. He honestly did not know what would have happened next if Saavik had not interrupted them.

They were not close now, though, and he sat very still, unable to make himself move toward her. The distance between them seemed an unbridgeable gulf, and he wondered how it could be that he would feel that he was far away from her when only moments before they had seemed physically so near. Such an impression was illogical, for neither of them had shifted position at all. They sat like that, frozen and looking into each other's eyes, as the seconds dragged into an eternity.

Finally, she broke eye contact. "Yes, I've enjoyed it here, and I'll hate to leave," she said with a peculiar note in her voice. "But I guess all good things must end. Sometimes before they even start."

He frowned and turned back to the fire. After a few moments, she stood. "Good night, Spock. I guess that it's time for me to turn in. See you in the morning."

"Good night."

He watched her until she vanished into her room. What had just happened? He had wanted... Exactly what had he wanted? Taking a deep breath, he attempted to sift through his muddled thoughts and dissect them into logical, manageable pieces, and he was disturbed by what he found: disappointment. Disappointment in himself and sorrow at his inability to act. And mixed in with that, more than a small amount of relief.

He lay down on the sofa and closed his eyes. Perhaps he would meditate for a while. He certainly did not think that he was ready to sleep.

...

The next morning, Uhura busied herself by puttering around in the kitchen, needlessly straightening the already immaculate drawers and shelves. Leaning back, she was just able to glance out the back door, and she saw Spock digging in the barren garden, Saavik sitting happily on a blanket and chattering away while he worked.

She glanced over her shoulder when she heard footsteps behind her, and saw McCoy.

"Well, Uhura, I guess our little visit is drawing to a close."

"Yes, so it would seem." Dismayed to hear the curt tone in her voice, she quickly added, "It's nice here, isn't it?"

"It sure is. Spock and Saavik have made quite a good life for themselves. And I can't help but notice how smoothly you fit into it."

"Well, you know that I spent a couple of weeks here after Sulu's wedding."

"Sure do."

"So I suppose that I just already knew their routine and my way around."

"Yes, I'm sure that's it."

Something in his tone of voice made her look back at him again, but he had moved away and was facing in the direction of the back yard. The muffled murmur of Spock's low voice could be heard in counterpart to Saavik's piping, childish one.

"I think I'll bring Saavik in and work on those spindly knees. Why don't you and Spock go for a walk?"

"You didn't get out all day yesterday. It's your turn."

"Nah, I'd rather not. You two go ahead."

He was out the back door before she could think of another argument. She watched as he exchanged a few words with Spock, and then helped Saavik to stand and walk back in with him. The little girl was shaky, but she could get around now if she had assistance. Realizing that Spock was looking in her direction, she snatched up the dishcloth and tried to pretend that she was busy, but it was too late. He'd already caught her eye and was moving her way.

He stuck his head in the door. "Would you care to walk with me?"

Trying her best to smile and appear casual, she said, "Sure! Just, uh, let me finish up here, and I'll be right with you."

She folded the dishcloth and pushed around the canisters, then finally left to find her jacket and hurry out the back door. Patient as always, he turned when she was beside him, and together they headed for the road. She was a bit surprised when she realized that they had apparently both chosen to walk in that direction, since they usually took their morning walk in the woods, but she was glad. She loved to be surrounded by the open sky and the cheerful wildflowers, and the dusty, bumpy lane was her favorite place to go.

The wind was mild but strong, and it pushed the clouds across the sky in a steady procession. All that could be seen between their puffy whiteness, however, was a dull, mottled gray. Each new gust brought a flurry of leaves that scattered across their path, only to be caught back up, dancing and whirling in the currents.

She felt her unease lift almost immediately, gone as if it had been blown away by the blustery wind. How could anyone go out on a day like this and not find their spirits lifted? Looking over at Spock, she smiled, and she was pleased to see his own features soften in response. What had she expected from him last night? Really? Had she expected him to ask her to stay? They both knew that was an impossibility. Had she expected him to profess words of love? Tell her that he couldn't live without her? That was just downright ridiculous.

Had she expected him to pull her close and kiss her?

Well... maybe. But she'd already decided that she was not going to make the first move this time, and if this was all she could have, so be it.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, relishing the sheer joy of being alive on a day like this as they walked between the rustling trees and the colorful meadow.

...

In wordless agreement they walked far past the point where they normally turned back, but eventually Spock decided that they had ventured far enough so they changed direction. Neither of them had spoken more than just a few words since they had left the house, but the silence was not uncomfortable. As they walked, he had glanced at Uhura's face from time to time under the pretense of looking at the scenery, and he had been fascinated to watch the play of emotions across her smooth features. Truly, she was a beautiful woman.

He thought again of last night, and of her visit three months ago. She stirred something within him, something that he had never known he possessed. And although it was quite illogical, he perversely found a sense of calm with her, despite the fact that she could throw his ordered thoughts into turmoil with a simple smile or the touch of her fingertips against the back of his hand. And tomorrow, she would be gone again, and he knew that he would miss her terribly.

Not certain what he planned to say to her, he halted. "Nyota, I wish to talk."

She did not notice at first that he was no longer with her, and she took four more steps before she stopped and turned around where she stood.

"Here?"

"Yes. Here."

"All right. What do you want to talk about?"

He took a deep breath and glanced briefly at the sky before meeting her eyes again and answering.

"It is time for total honesty between us."

Her expression didn't change. "Okay."

Suddenly, he knew what he wanted to ask her. Before he had completely formulated his thoughts, the words were out of his mouth.

"Why did you kiss me in the spaceport?"

She blinked. "What?"

"Why did you kiss me in the spaceport? Before you left."

"Well, I guess... I guess I just wanted to get your attention," she stammered.

"You certainly accomplished that."

"Did I? You could have fooled me."

He took a step toward her and spoke softly. "I thought of little else for many days afterward."

"Same here."

They were both quiet for an eternity, neither looking away. Far in the distance a single bird called, and he heard an answering cry from the woods to his right. A smattering of leaves fell to the ground between them, but had scarcely settled on the dirt before they were caught again by the wind and swept, tumbling, to the other side of the road.

Finally, he said, "And I think, now, that I wish to do it again."

"Oh yes," she whispered.

Closing the gap between them, he brushed his fingertips against her cheek, closed his eyes, and gently pressed his lips to hers. Her mouth was soft and welcoming, and when he drew back her eyes fluttered open and met his. They stood like that for a long moment.

"We have been friends for many years," he murmured.

"Yes, we have."

"Where do we go from here?"

She searched his face. "I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and find out."

He nodded and licked his lips. Bringing up his other hand to rest on the side of her face, he bent close and kissed her again. This time, though, he felt her lips part under his, and before he knew it she was in his arms, his hands hard against her back and her body pressed tightly against him. Her fingers roamed from his shoulders to the back of his neck, and up into his hair, and he could not stop the groan that came from deep in his throat when she shifted her hips slightly against his own.

Moving his mouth away from her lips, he kissed his way across her cheek and her ear, and down to her neck. She gasped and threw her head back when he found the warm pulse point under her jaw, and he ran his lips and teeth roughly over it.

Finally, their heavy breathing loud in his ears, he brought his hands up to the sides of her face and drew back far enough to be able to look into her eyes.

"Nyota, we must... we must return. We have been gone far too long, and it is time to go back."

She closed her eyes for a moment before looking back up at him. "Yes, you're right. But Spock, oh, I could stay like this forever."

All he could do was nod in reply.

Separating, they adjusted their clothing and resumed their slow pace back down the lane in the direction of the house. After a few steps, she tucked her hand up under his elbow, and they walked like that until they came to the last little rise that would put them in view of his back door.

End chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 7

Unable to stop reliving the events of the morning, the feel of Spock's hot mouth against her throat and his strong hands against her back, Uhura had practically floated through the day. She didn't know how she had managed, really, but except for the small glances of shared complicity and the thrill she felt whenever she met his eyes, she and Spock had gone through the afternoon as if nothing had changed between them.

She rushed through her dinner in anticipation of their usual evening walk, visions of watching the sunset through new eyes spurring her to move as quickly as possible, but the clouds had grown heavier and heavier throughout the long afternoon, and the rain began while they were eating. At first it was just a soft sprinkle, but soon they heard thunder rumbling far off in the distance, and she knew then that they would not be able to leave the house tonight.

If she thought that the afternoon had been long, the evening seemed to take forever. The four of them huddled close to the fire as the storm came nearer and nearer, and she forced herself to relax and enjoy the moment. This would be her last evening with Saavik for a long time, and she didn't want to waste a precious second of it even if her thoughts were elsewhere.

She pulled the little girl closer as they listened to Dr. McCoy tell stories on Spock, who was sitting on the other side of Saavik and suffering in silence.

"And when this strange woman left the bridge of the Enterprise, do you know what I found?"

Saavik, her eyes large, whispered, "What?"

"Spock, down in the sickbay." Milking it for every bit of drama it was worth, McCoy continued. "And you won't believe what was missing! See if you can guess."

Uhura smiled when she heard a heavy sigh from the other end of the sofa.

Saavik considered it for a moment. "Captain Kirk?"

"No, this is a story about Spock."

"His communicator?"

McCoy shook his head.

"His, uh, uniform? His ears?"

"Doctor, please do not make her guess."

"Afraid of what she might say next, Spock?" McCoy's eyes twinkled. "Okay, okay, I'll tell her. His brain!"

Saavik sat up straighter. "His brain? They had taken his brain?"

"Uh huh, and they were using it to power a generator down on their planet. We had to take his body with us and find his brain, and then put it back. It was a very tricky operation, but as you can see, it was a success. The first brain transplant!"

"Tell me another!"

Spock stood. "It is late and you have heard enough, Saavikam."

She frowned. "I am not tired!"

"Ah, but Dr. McCoy is. You have worn him out."

McCoy covered a yawn. "He's right about that, squirt. Besides, listen to that storm! There's nothing better than snuggling under the covers when it's raining outside."

As if to prove his point, a nearby rumble of thunder shook the little house. Saavik nodded. "All right. I will go to bed and listen to the rain and the thunder. Will you help me get ready, Nyota?"

"I'd love to do that."

Holding out her hand, she pulled Saavik to her feet, and they walked slowly to the bedroom. She could hear McCoy giving Spock some last-minute instructions behind them.

"Just make sure that she's walking on her own by next week. See how she's leaning on Uhura, there? That's okay for now but encourage her to do it on her own as soon as possible..."

His voice faded away when they entered Saavik's room and Uhura pulled the door closed behind her. She lifted Saavik onto the bed, smoothed the little girl's unruly hair away from her face, and sat down next to her.

"Nyota, I wish that you did not have to leave tomorrow."

"Oh, believe me, honey, I do too. And I'll bet that Dr. McCoy feels the same way."

"Yes, he asked me if he could just move in with us for good, but I told him that the only person who could do that would be you."

Uhura laughed and bent over to pull off Saavik's shoes so that the little girl wouldn't see her blush. "He was just kidding, Saavik!"

"Yes, that's what he said. But I wasn't. I wish that you lived here with us forever!"

"That's the most wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me, but you know that my life is on the Enterprise."

Saavik nodded seriously. "Yes, I do. And I know that Spock will go back there too, pretty soon, and I will have to go somewhere else to live."

Her tone was so mournful that Uhura sat back up and put her arm around Saavik's bony little shoulders. Her own voice was a bit unsteady when she replied.

"But it's not like you'll be going away for good. Think about it! You'll learn and grow, and we will always, always send messages to each other and talk to each other, and be the very best of friends. And before you know it, you'll be all grown up and Spock and I will wonder what happened to the little girl we loved."

That made Saavik look at her. "Spock would not be happy to hear you say that. Oh course, he would not admit that he was _un_happy, but I know that he would be."

"Well, then don't tell him I said it. But it's true. Here, let's get your pajamas on."

Saavik passively allowed Uhura to help her dress for bed, then crawled under the covers. Uhura walked quietly to the door and had just turned off the light when she heard a little voice from the darkness. It was almost drowned out by the sound of the rain hitting the roof.

"Nyota?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Will you come visit me when I go away to school?"

"Of course."

"All right. Good night."

"Good night. See you in the morning."

She gently pulled the door closed and walked back to the sofa. The big room was empty, but just as she sat down she felt a gust of wind from the back door, and Spock came in carrying three more logs. A few droplets of water fell off his hair and shoulders.

"Nasty out there, isn't it?" she asked.

"Indeed it is. The temperature has dropped considerably since the last time I ventured out for wood, and the rain is coming in at a nearly horizontal angle now. The overhang is providing no cover for our wood, and I am uncertain as to whether this will burn."

Kneeling on the hearth, he added one of the logs to the fire while she settled back into the cushions.

"Did Dr. McCoy go on to bed?" she asked.

"Yes."

"So. It's just you and me."

He looked over his shoulder and met her eyes. "In a manner of speaking, yes," he said wryly, "although of course we are not truly alone when you consider that Dr. McCoy and Saavik are just on the other side of their bedroom doors."

Returning his attention to his task, he pulled a few dry branches out of the tinderbox and stuck them under the logs. The branches quickly caught fire and burned for a few seconds, but soon the flames were gone. He tried again to add more tinder, but the results were no better. He sat back on his haunches.

"Just as I suspected. The house's heating system does not adequately warm this room, and it will become increasingly cold in here if I cannot coax the fire to burn."

Uhura rose from the sofa. "Hang on. I have an idea."

She crept into Saavik's room, and returned with the dilapidated remains of the old-fashioned paper box they had taken to the hospital. She and Saavik had unpacked it that afternoon, but she had set it in the corner of the room and forgotten about it until now.

"How about adding this to the fire?"

"An excellent idea, Nyota."

She sat on the floor next to him and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Boy, I hope this little house stands up under all of that rain and wind."

"This is the harshest weather we have experienced since we moved to Dantria, and I must confess that I have had the same thought." He pulled the box apart and fed it to the fire one small piece at a time. "Fortunately, the taller trees are not so close that they will land on the roof if one should fall. Ah, there. The logs are finally burning."

She watched as the cardboard was consumed and the flames subsided to a steady blaze. The fire crackled and popped. They were quiet for a long time, and Spock settled back comfortably on his heels and showed no sign of returning to the sofa. Finally, she looked over at him.

The firelight played over his features, throwing harsh shadows across his angular face. It had been years since she had noticed, really noticed, that he was different from anyone else in their circle of friends, but the sheer alien-ness of his face struck her now. His high cheekbones and the cant of his eyebrows were exaggerated by the flickering illumination, and the smooth glossiness of his hair and the tip of his ear shone in sharp contrast to the darkness behind him.

"Spock?"

He looked at her, throwing half of his face into darkness.

"Yes?"

"About this afternoon. Was it for real? I mean, it's not too late for us to forget about it and just remain friends if that's what you want."

"You are asking me if I meant it."

"Well, yes, I guess I am."

He tilted his head to the side. "You know that I would not have behaved in a frivolous manner."

That made her smile. "Oh yes, I know that."

"So perhaps I must demonstrate to you that my intentions have not changed since this afternoon."

"That would be the logical next step."

Without another word, he leaned close and kissed her gently on the lips. No other part of their bodies touched, and she closed her eyes and concentrated on the feel of his mouth on hers. His lips were warm, even warmer than she had remembered from this afternoon, and when he deepened the kiss she was dizzied by the sudden surge of blood that rushed from her heart to her every extremity. Yearning to press herself against him, she was instead held immobile by the melting fire that rose from deep within her belly, as the thunder and the rain rocked the little house.

Just when she thought that she would surely burst from the sheer intensity of this incredibly simple kiss, she felt his fingers brush across her cheek and jaw, and slide under the collar of her shirt. Slowly, deliberately, he explored the back of her neck and her shoulder, and without even realizing at first that she had moved, she released her knees and turned slightly toward him, groaning softly from the sensation of those fingers against her bare flesh.

Shifting his own position so that he faced her, he used his other hand to open her shirt just enough to allow him to push it off her shoulder, and he moved his lips to the skin revealed by his action. Tilting her head back, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him against her, clearly signaling her permission for him to continue.

He opened her shirt a little further, and the cool air of the room against the top of her left breast caused her nipples to grow hard and push against the sudden constriction of her clothing. As his lips traveled downward, she shivered from the evaporation of the warm dampness left by his kisses, and she gasped out loud when he freed her breast from the confines of her bra and found her nipple with his mouth.

She was on fire, burning from the heat of his lips against her cooler skin, and she wanted more, so much more than this. It was all happening so quickly, and a niggling little voice in the back of her head kept telling her _slow down, don't rush him, remember who this is, you'll scare him away_, yet his insistent mouth and hands convinced her that he wanted more, too.

"Spock," she said breathily, "don't sleep out here tonight. The bed in my room is warm and soft, and big enough for both of us."

When he drew back to look at her face, her eyes widened at the desire that darkened his expression. This man, this strong and virile man before her, was a stranger, someone she had never known before. His eyes were almost black with arousal, his lips full and parted, and his hair was mussed where she had pushed her fingers through its heavy darkness.

"We are not alone in this house, Nyota." His voice was hoarse with desire, and her own desire surged when she marveled over the fact that she, herself, was responsible for this open want.

"We will be alone until morning. No one will know."

He hesitated, so she ran her fingers across his mouth and whispered, "I want to feel you next to me, Spock, next to me, and on me, and in me."

When he closed his eyes and moved his lips against her fingers, she knew that she had won. They both stood, and together they walked to her room.

...

They moved in tandem on the big bed, the frame creaking softly with their motions and the headboard thumping lightly against the wall. The rain pounded on the roof, the wind whistled against the walls, but all she knew were his hot, hot body on top of her own, and the long, skillful fingers that she had watched dance across his board a thousand times plying her in all her most intimate places. She could not stop the moans that escaped from her throat, and he covered her mouth with his own to quiet her.

The tension built from deep within her, and she wrapped her legs tighter around him, dug her fingers into the hard muscles of his back, and met him thrust for thrust. His fingers were relentless, prodding and caressing, his long arms allowing him to reach around her thigh and touch her, _there, oh yes, there_, while he plunged slowly into her body.

His breath now hot in her ear, he chanted, "Nyota, Nyota," and his deep voice, his hard body, his hands... Arching her back, she pushed against him and lost herself in the sound, the taste, the scent, the feel of him. He pumped harder, his hand still between her legs, and when she came again she knew remotely that she cried out.

Shifting both arms so that he could push himself up on his elbows, he entwined his fingers through her hair and moved still faster. She opened her eyes and looked up in the dark, but his head was a silhouette against the blackness of the room. Suddenly, the air tight with its violent crack, a brilliant flash of lightning illuminated his features. Even though he was immediately plunged back into darkness, she was captivated by what she had seen, his vulnerable expression burned into her brain, and she continued to watch, panting and matching his thrusts, hoping that the storm would light the room again.

She could tell that he was close, so close, and she ran her hands down his back until she could grasp the solid, shifting muscles below, pulling him into her, meeting him again and again. His body was rigid, his head back, and at the instant when he finally lost his rhythm, the sky was lit with another huge bolt of lightning and she was able to glimpse his face. She was thrilled at his abandonment of control, his eyes squeezed shut and his mouth open, his face contorted almost as if in pain.

He did not cry out, but she could feel him pulsating within her, and she clenched her muscles around him. Shuddering, he thrust deep and hard, paused, and began to pump again, and without even knowing that it was going to happen, she found herself suddenly swept away in the throes of another orgasm.

When she reopened her eyes, she discovered that he had stopped moving and that he was looking into her face. Although the storm was not directly overhead anymore, the rumbling of the thunder was still very near, and the almost constant flickering of the lightning allowed her to see him clearly. His expression was soft and tender, and she had to swallow past the surge of emotion that tightened her throat.

He gently stroked her hair away from her damp forehead.

"Nyota, you are so very beautiful."

Unable to speak, she pulled his face down to hers and kissed him.

When he finally rolled over onto his back, she snuggled close and rested her head on his shoulder, and they slept.

End chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

The Taste of Snow, Chapter 8

He was awakened by a stirring in the bed next to him.

"Shhh. I'm just getting up for a minute, and I'll be right back."

He watched as Uhura padded into the bathroom. The perfectly rounded back side of her lush body was all too visible in the low light, and he decided that he would much rather wait for her return than go back to sleep.

Before long, his wait was rewarded when she eased back through the bathroom door and approached the bed, her full breasts swaying gently as she walked. He ran his eyes over the soft curves of her body in appreciation, and she smiled when she saw that he was still awake.

"Sorry I woke you."

"It is of no consequence. Actually, I believe that I shall avail myself of the facilities as well."

Sliding out from under the covers, he realized when his feet hit the floor that the temperature had continued to drop throughout the night. His internal clock told him that it was 0220 hours. The storm had obviously blown over, for the room was not quite as dark and the house was very silent. He hurried as quietly as he could to the small bathroom.

She held the covers open for him when he rejoined her. "It's gotten cold out there, hasn't it?"

"Indeed it has. I would estimate that the temperature is well below the freezing point outside."

"Now, aren't you glad you stayed in here tonight?" she teased. "Just think how cold that sofa would be right now."

"I cannot deny that I am 'glad' to be here, but avoidance of the cold sofa is not my primary incentive. As I am certain you know."

She chuckled and rolled onto her back. Propped up on his elbow next to her, he studied her face and was struck by the fact that although everything had changed between them, nothing had changed between them. He decided that she would be pleased to hear him point that out.

"Nyota, I am currently contemplating a paradox."

"Oh, you are? What sort of a paradox would you be contemplating?"

"In the last twenty hours, we have entirely altered the nature of our relationship. One might expect, therefore, that the dynamics of our interpersonal interactions would change as well, but I am left with the definite impression that in fact nothing has changed at all."

She pushed herself back up onto her side so that she could face him.

"I'm glad that you brought this up. Your friendship means more to me than all the sex in the world, and I was so afraid that we'd damage it. In the end, though, I think the idea that it could grow into something better made us both decide that the risk was worthwhile. The fact that we can even have a conversation like this so soon after, well, so soon, tells me that we made the right choice. Don't you agree?"

"I have no regrets."

She nodded. "So, I suppose the next question is 'What happens next?'"

"As you said yesterday, perhaps we shall just have to wait and see. My most optimistic prediction, however, is that we will continue to explore this new aspect of our relationship once I return to the Enterprise." He paused. "I have great difficulty envisioning the possibility that we might not."

"I think that it would break my heart," she whispered.

He touched her lightly on the cheek. "I would never willingly break your heart, Nyota."

"I know. I trust you completely."

"And I, you."

"So I guess this brings up the next topic of discussion. Assuming then that this is more than just a one-night stand, will we, uh, want to go public? After all, we have close friends who probably deserve to know. And who will probably figure it out, anyway."

He frowned and looked away, having not considered that angle, but before he could respond she said, "Okay, I suppose that the look on your face answers that question."

"Forgive me, but the thought of sharing something so intimate, even with close friends, unsettles me. Are you greatly disappointed?"

"Honestly? A bit. I mean, right now I feel like shouting it from the rooftop, but you wouldn't be you if you felt the same way I did about it. I know all too well how intensely private you are."

"It is not because I am anything less than proud to be with you. You are an extraordinary woman, and any man would consider himself fortunate if he were to find himself in my situation."

She placed her hand flat on his chest. "Oh, you sweet talker, you."

"I am merely speaking the truth."

She smiled seductively. "Even better."

Scooting closer, she carefully began to trace a pattern on his chest with her fingernails, languidly outlining each nipple before moving across his stomach. As she worked her way down, he felt himself stir, and he was already semi-erect when she reached his genitals.

"And even better still," she whispered.

She continued to tease him with only the lightest touch of her fingernails, stroking the length of his shaft, tickling his testicles, circling his ridges. Although her touch was so light as to be nearly nonexistent, he was amazed at how quickly he became aroused.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and shuddered.

"Nyota, are you not in need of sleep?"

Pushing him onto his back, she bent her head to his chest and carefully followed the same path with her lips that she had drawn with her fingertips. Between kisses, she murmured, "I can sleep tomorrow. And so can you."

As her lips moved lower on his belly, he could not help but agree.

...

"Nyota, wake up. Nyota."

Foggily she became aware of a very warm body close to her back and hot breath in her ear.

"Spock?"

"Do not rouse yourself. I am moving to the sofa, and I did not want you to wake and find me gone."

She lifted her head and saw that the window glowed with dim light.

"What time is it?"

"It is 0553 hours. The others will stir soon, and I must return to the other room."

She snuggled back down into the pillow. "You're so warm. Stay just for a moment longer."

"Very well." He kissed her lightly on the back of her neck.

Already half asleep, she pushed herself back against him. "Mmmm. Do that again."

Just as she felt his teeth on the soft place where her neck met her shoulder, she was jolted awake by an excited voice from the next room.

"Spock! Spock, look! Nyota! Dr. McCoy! Look out the window!"

She and Spock both jumped up to a sitting position.

Saavik yelled, "QUICK!"

Uhura dashed across the room and pulled her nightgown and robe from her dresser drawer. She could hear Spock moving quickly, gathering up his clothing from the floor, and when she turned around he had already managed to pull his pants on and was trying to untangle his shirt.

She scurried close to him as she threw her nightgown over her head. "What do you think it is?"

"I cannot imagine. It does not appear that she is ill or in danger, however."

They heard the sound of a door opening and McCoy's sleepy voice. "Saavik? What's up?"

"Dr. McCoy, come here, come here!"

Uhura grabbed Spock's elbow. "Wait a moment, and I'll get Dr. McCoy into Saavik's room. Do you think he'll notice that you're not wearing your pajamas?"

Glancing at his attire, he said, "Perhaps he will simply assume that I have already been up for some time."

She nodded and adjusted his collar, and couldn't help but smile.

"Aren't we something? Caught like two teenagers. And here you are in my bedroom, no less. All we need is for my mother to come walking through the door and we'd be set."

She kissed him quickly and ran to the door before he had a chance to respond. Peering out, she saw that McCoy had already gone into Saavik's room, so she motioned for Spock to follow her.

He was right at her shoulder when they entered Saavik's room.

"What is it, Saavikam?"

The little girl stood at her window, gripping the window ledge. McCoy, beside her, turned toward Spock and Uhura and grinned.

Saavik pointed out the window and commanded, "LOOK!"

Uhura and Spock crowded around her, and Uhura gasped when she saw what Saavik had wanted so badly to show them. Leaning closer to the window, she put her arm around Saavik's shoulders and laughed with delight.

The rain last night had turned to snow. A heavy layer of ice covered every branch, every leaf, and every blade of grass, and the landscape glittered as if it were encased in glass. In addition, although not a great amount of snow had fallen, enough had accumulated on the ground to sparkle in shades of lavender and pink as the early-morning light crept in between the clouds and the treeline. A few flakes continued to fall, and as she watched, one landed on the window and left its lacy imprint for an instant before vanishing into a small wet spot.

Uhura turned to Spock. "Let's go out there."

Pulling his eyebrows together, he drew back and looked at her as if she were insane. "Now?"

She laughed and picked up Saavik, and carried her to her bed. "Yes, right now!"

Saavik cried, "Please? Please, Spock?"

McCoy started for the door. "Let me get my boots and coat."

Uhura grabbed some socks and boots for Saavik and looked back over at Spock. He stood bewildered in the middle of the room while everyone bustled around him. Holding Saavik's things out to him, she said, "Put these on Saavik while I get dressed."

"But-"

"Come on, Spock!"

From the bed, Saavik chimed in again. "Pleeeease?"

With a defeated sigh, he accepted Saavik's footwear, and Uhura smiled and darted into her room. She pulled on some pants and tucked her nightgown into them, stepped into her boots, and grabbed her coat. By the time she made it back out into the hallway, McCoy was already waiting.

Laughing, he said, "I haven't done anything like this since Joanna was little."

"I haven't done anything like this since _I_ was little!"

Soon Spock had donned his coat, and the four of them eased their way through the back door and into the cold sharpness of the fairylike dawn. Their footsteps crunched in the eerie silence. From her high vantage point in Spock's arms, Saavik gazed around herself with wonder. "Look at the trees! They look so fragile, as if they might break!"

"If the weight of the ice is sufficient, Saavikam, they very well might."

"Spock! I want to touch it!"

As he obediently carried her over to a nearby tree, Uhura picked up a handful of snow from the ground and packed it into a ball. Spotting a target in the distance, she threw the snowball and missed. She tried again, and soon McCoy joined her. Laughing at themselves, neither of them was able to hit the target. The snow had begun to come down harder now, and she had to stop and brush it from her eyes.

Saavik stuck her fingers into the snow and swept it from the branches with both hands. "Nyota! I am going to taste the snow!"

Trotting over to stand beside Spock, Uhura smiled when Saavik scooped up a huge handful of snow and touched just the very tip of her tongue to it and made a face.

"What does it taste like?"

"It is cold!" She tried it again. "It tastes like ice."

"You can do better than that!" Uhura filled her own hands with snow and brought it to her lips. "I think that it tastes like frost, and mittens, and evenings around a fire."

Saavik stuck her tongue back into the snow. "Peppermint, but without the mint!"

They all turned when McCoy spoke up from the other side of the garden. "It tastes like Christmas to me."

Uhura looked at Spock, who had been very quiet throughout the entire exchange. His eyebrow raised, he was obviously skeptical.

She stepped closer to him. "You try it, Spock. Tell us what you think it tastes like."

Turning in his arms so that she could see his face, Saavik offered him a handful of snow. "Yes, Spock! What do you think?"

He gingerly cupped her small hand in his own and brought the snow to his mouth. The others waited expectantly, but he shook his head.

"It simply tastes like snow. Nothing more."

Uhura shook her head. "You didn't use your imagination. Snow can taste like anything you want it to, Spock. Anything! Can't you try again?"

He met her eyes and did not answer at first. Finally, he lifted his hand and brushed the snow from her eyelashes.

"Nyota, it will still only taste like snow."

She gazed at him, wide-eyed, unable to believe that he had touched her like that. Although his gesture was simple and discreet, it was for him as public a display of intimacy and affection as it would have been if another man had pulled her into his arms and kissed her. She searched his face and tried to comprehend the significance of what he had just done.

After a moment of silent communication, the corner of his mouth turned up in an almost-smile, and she felt a huge grin spread across her face in response.

Saavik grew tired of the inactivity and interrupted them. "Spock! I want to walk in the snow."

Finally breaking eye contact, he bent to place Saavik gently on the ground. Uhura watched them for a second, but couldn't resist the urge to glance at McCoy. The doctor's eyes were narrowed, as if he wasn't sure that he understood exactly what he had just seen. She decided that if he couldn't figure it out for himself, she wasn't going to give anything away, so she smiled innocently at him before turning to help Saavik.

By the time the little girl announced that she was ready to go back in, the sky was thick with snow and they were all soaked to the skin. Uhura hurried to her room and peeled off her wet clothing. As she stood at her dresser and put on dry clothes, she looked over her shoulder and smiled. The events of last night had been so unbelievable that she might have thought she had dreamed them, except for the very clear imprint of two bodies on her rumpled bed.

She pulled out her suitcase and began to pack. It was almost time to leave.

...

Rubbing her eyes with exhaustion, Uhura walked into the welcoming comfort of her quarters on the Enterprise. Her trip from Dantria had been a long one, and she'd been needed on the bridge almost as soon as she'd stepped off the transporter pad. Pulling off her jacket, she scowled at the still-packed suitcase sitting against the wall and decided that it could wait; all she wanted to do right now was soak under a hot shower and crash in her bed.

Pulling off her boots on her way to the fresher, her attention was caught by a blinking light on her computer. A message? Somehow she'd missed seeing it come through, but that wasn't too surprising considering how busy she'd been. She smiled and settled herself at her desk. Boy, Saavik sure didn't waste any time!

"Computer, play message for Lieutenant Commander Nyota Uhura."

"Working. Transmission is from Spock on Dantria IV, stardate 3891.2."

Spock? She held her breath, uncertain whether to be elated or concerned. Surely it wouldn't be more bad news. She had just seen them two days ago and everyone was fine! As his image came on the screen and she listened to what he had to say, she relaxed.

"Greetings, Nyota. I trust that your journey was uneventful and that you and Dr. McCoy are now comfortably back on the Enterprise. Saavik and I are well. After your departure, she requested that she be taken back outside and therefore is sleeping soundly at the moment, having been thoroughly exhausted by the events of the day."

He paused for a moment, and Uhura tilted her head, wondering what he was going to say. Small talk wasn't exactly his forte, and she knew that he was working his way up to something. Soon he continued.

"I have a confession to make to you. After Saavik was asleep, I stepped back outside. The clouds had finally cleared, and although it was late, the light of the moon on the snow lit the landscape almost as if it were daytime. The view was quite striking, and I thought of you and wished that you were with me to see it. That is not what I wanted to tell you, however.

"Remembering your entreaty of this morning, I tasted the snow again. This time, I tried very hard to imagine that it tasted of something other than mere frozen precipitation. It took three tries, but finally I decided that it tasted cool and fresh, soothing, but invigorating. I decided that it tasted like... you."

He raised an eyebrow in self-mockery. "That was, of course, a most subjective judgment. At any rate, the house is once more very empty without you. I anticipate the day when I will see you again.

"Spock out."

She covered her mouth with her hands and blinked, trying to steady her pounding heart. Her fatigue was forgotten. After a few moments, a slow smile curved her lips and she ran her fingers through her hair. Sitting forward, she addressed her computer.

"Computer. Record message to Commander Spock on Dantria IV."

End story

The next story in this series is Almost a Kiss


End file.
